France Becomes First EU Nation to Ban Social Media for Children Under 15

(WS News) – France has become the first European Union country to pass a blanket ban on social media for children under 15, with lawmakers in both chambers of parliament approving the measure on Tuesday as concerns grow worldwide over the effects of digital platforms on young people’s mental health.

The bill, a flagship initiative of President Emmanuel Macron’s second term, also bans mobile phone use in French high schools. Macron called the vote “a major step forward,” posting on social media that “social media will be banned for children under 15 starting this school year” and that “the brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale.” The measure still requires a ruling from France’s Constitutional Council before it can take effect.

Under the law, platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, X and Reddit will be barred from allowing new accounts for children under 15 starting September 1, with existing underage accounts required to be suspended by January 2027. The measure will be enforced by Arcom, France’s audiovisual and digital communications regulator, though officials acknowledge significant practical hurdles remain around verifying users’ ages without violating EU privacy and data-protection rules.

France’s health watchdog has reported that roughly 90 percent of children aged 12 to 17 use smartphones daily, with more than half of them using their devices for social networks, and has linked heavy platform use to reduced self-esteem and greater exposure to content tied to risky behavior. France joins Australia, which banned social media for under-16s in 2024, as governments across Europe, including Spain, Denmark and Greece, weigh similar restrictions.