France may soon take a firmer stance on how young people use social media. The French government is proposing a ban on social media access for children under the age of 15, with a target implementation date of September 2026.
Photo: Freepik
This initiative has the backing of President Emmanuel Macron, who has said that lawmakers should begin debating the proposal as early as January.
If this sounds familiar, it’s because other countries are starting to move in the same direction. Australia recently announced a ban on social media for users under 16, making it the first country to do so on a national level.
Why France is proposing the ban
The draft law cites growing concerns around excessive screen time among adolescents. According to the document, multiple studies and reports point to risks linked to unrestricted access to digital platforms, including exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and disruptions to sleep patterns.
The proposal includes two main provisions:
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Making it illegal for social media platforms to provide services to children under 15
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Banning mobile phone use in secondary schools
Macron has repeatedly said that protecting minors in digital spaces is a priority for his administration. However, turning policy into practice has proven challenging.
Enforcement remains a question
France already has experience with screen-related rules that are difficult to enforce. A ban on mobile phone use in pre-schools and middle schools has been in place since 2018, but reports suggest it is rarely applied consistently.
There have also been legal hurdles. In 2023, France passed a law setting a “digital legal age” of 15, but it was later blocked for conflicting with European Union regulations.
What happens next
Earlier this month, the French Senate backed a separate initiative aimed at limiting excessive screen time among teenagers. That proposal includes requiring parental authorization for children aged 13 to 16 who want to sign up for social media platforms.
The Senate’s text has now been submitted to the National Assembly. If approved, it could move France closer to reshaping how young people access social media—though questions around enforcement, platform compliance, and EU law remain part of the conversation.
For now, the proposal remains under debate, and its final form may change as discussions progress.
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