France’s parliament has approved a law banning social media for children under 15, making it the first EU country to bar young people from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. The legislation, championed by President Emmanuel Macron as a key reform of his final term, will start to take effect from September, when under-15s will be blocked from opening new accounts.
“France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and teenagers,” Macron said in a video posted on social media, hailing “a major step forward”. He thanked MPs for backing the bill on Tuesday after it was passed by 279 votes to 81 in the National Assembly, following earlier approval by the Senate.
“France's parliament bans under-15s from social media from September, a European first championed by President Macron.”
The ban will be introduced in two stages. From 1 September 2026, people under 15 will not be able to create new accounts, and age verification will be required on all new accounts. By January 2027, every existing account holder in France must verify they are over 15 – meaning the entire social media user base will have to prove their age.
French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff defended the speed of implementation ahead of the vote, saying “age-verification tools already exist”. She told journalists: “For four months, all of us in France will have to prove our age. If someone is under 15, the account will be closed.” The minister also gave assurances that users’ personal data would be protected.
But concerns have been raised over privacy, the efficacy of age-verification tools, the risks of young people bypassing them, and how quickly the ban has been designed and brought in. France’s public health watchdog last year said platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were harmful to adolescents, particularly girls, though this was not the sole reason for their declining mental health.
The move follows Australia’s ban on under-16s in December, which has had limited success. In March, Australia’s eSafety Commission announced seven out of 10 children aged under 16 who had a social media account before the ban still had “some access”. Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University Tama Leaver told the BBC the ban has “failed” in its technical aims, though it showed a ban “can be done”. He described it as “a bit of an experiment”.
Leaver said France’s ban may have a higher chance of succeeding because of the requirement for every person to verify their age – but that this will also increase risks to privacy. Additional risks include pushing young people into less-regulated online spaces, reducing their news consumption and political empowerment. The French Constitutional Council must now rule on the legislation before it can be fully enforced. “The Constitutional Council must now rule on it, and then it will be time to take action to make this measure a reality and protect our children online,” Macron added on X.