PARIS, France — French lawmakers are expected to give final approval on Tuesday to legislation banning children under the age of 15 from accessing social media, a move that would make France the first country in the European Union to introduce a nationwide digital age limit for online platforms.
The bill cleared a major hurdle on Monday after members of the National Assembly and Senate agreed on a compromise text, paving the way for its final adoption. The measure is widely expected to pass despite opposition from some left-wing lawmakers.
French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff hailed the legislation as a landmark step in protecting children online.
“Tomorrow, France will become the first country in Europe to introduce a digital age limit to better protect our children online,” she wrote on X.
The legislation is one of President Emmanuel Macron’s flagship domestic reforms during the final phase of his presidency. Macron has pledged to implement the law by September 2026, alongside a ban on mobile phone use in secondary schools before the start of the new academic year.
Two-Phase Rollout
Under the proposed law, social media platforms will be prohibited from allowing children under 15 to create new accounts starting September 1, 2026.
The rules will then expand to existing accounts, requiring platforms to suspend accounts belonging to users under 15 beginning January 2027.
The legislation covers major social media platforms while exempting educational websites, online encyclopaedias, and other services deemed beneficial for learning.
Protecting Children’s Mental Health
The proposed restrictions come amid growing concern over the impact of social media on children’s mental health.
France’s public health authority warned last year that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram could negatively affect adolescents, particularly girls, although it noted that social media is only one factor contributing to mental health challenges among young people.
Lawmakers from both houses agreed that stronger regulation was necessary, though they initially differed on how it should be implemented.
The Senate had proposed a two-tier system that would distinguish between platforms considered harmful to children’s development and those that could still be accessed with parental consent.
However, lawmakers ultimately adopted the National Assembly’s broader approach, requiring platforms to block all new users under 15 and suspend existing accounts belonging to children below that age.
EU-Wide Debate Continues
The legislation comes as the European Union considers broader measures to regulate children’s access to social media.
France, Greece, and Spain have been among the countries pushing Brussels to introduce stricter age limits across the bloc.
Last week, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said children should be granted only “phased and gradual access” to social media.
A key challenge for enforcement will be verifying users’ ages. French lawmakers say social media companies will be responsible for implementing effective age verification systems, with several technologies already under development, including an age-verification application unveiled by the European Commission earlier this year.
Part of a Growing Global Trend
If enacted, France will join more than 20 countries that have introduced or proposed restrictions on children’s use of social media.
Australia became the first country in the world in December 2025 to require major platforms including TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat to remove accounts held by users under the age of 16 or face substantial financial penalties.
For President Macron, the legislation could become one of the defining domestic reforms of his final term before leaving office in April 2027.