French lawmakers have approved a bill banning children under 15 from using social media, making France the first European Union country to pass a blanket ban on social platforms for young users.
The same bill also bans mobile phone use in high schools.
The bill still faces a likely review by France’s Constitutional Council, which could delay implementation. President Emmanuel Macron wants the law enforced by the start of the new school year in September.
The new law aims to reduce the negative effects of social media on children.
Both chambers of France’s parliament backed the measure. The bill also bans mobile phone use in high schools, according to the Associated Press.
The ban will not apply to online encyclopedias, educational directories, or scientific directories.
France says the law is aimed at protecting children from harmful online content and excessive screen use.
France’s health watchdog reported that one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. It also found that 90 percent of children aged 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, while 58 percent use them for social networks.
The same report linked social media use to harms including reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to risky content related to self-harm, drug use, and suicide.
The biggest unresolved issue is enforcement.
Regulators are expected to rely on age verification systems, but it is not yet clear what exact tools social media platforms will need to use. ARCOM, France’s digital communications regulator, is expected to enforce the ban once it takes effect.
Legal advisers and critics have warned that the law may be difficult to implement because platforms will need to identify new underage users and deal with existing accounts held by children under 15.
Macron has strongly supported the ban and thanked lawmakers after the vote.
He said France is leading Europe in protecting children and teenagers. However, constitutional review could slow the rollout, even if the government wants the system ready by September.
France is part of a wider global move to restrict children’s access to social platforms.
Australia became the first country to block children under 16 from social media in 2024. Its law can fine platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X, and Instagram up to 50 million Australian dollars, or about $35 million, if they fail to keep under-16s off their services.
Spain, Denmark, Greece, and the UK have also discussed or proposed limits for young users. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also called for stronger limits on children’s social media use across the EU.
The law has already drawn criticism from some lawmakers and privacy advocates.
Opponents from France Unbowed argued that the bill may be unconstitutional, difficult to enforce, and harmful to online anonymity.
That is the central challenge for France. The country has approved one of Europe’s toughest child social media laws, but its success will depend on whether platforms can verify ages without creating new privacy and enforcement problems.
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