French lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, marking a major step in President Emmanuel Macron’s campaign to curb excessive screen time and protect young people from the harmful effects of digital platforms.
The National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament, adopted the legislation in a late-night session from Monday to Tuesday, approving the bill by a vote of 130 to 21. The text will now be sent to the Senate, the upper house, for consideration before it can become law.
Macron welcomed the vote, describing it as a “major step” toward safeguarding the well-being of children and teenagers. Writing on X, the president said the measure would help shield young people from addictive online algorithms and harmful digital content.
If enacted, the legislation would make France the second country in the world to impose such a restriction, following Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s, which was introduced in December.
Protecting Children Online
The proposed law reflects growing concern among policymakers and health experts that excessive social media use is damaging child development and contributing to rising mental health problems among adolescents.
“The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms,” Macron said in a video message broadcast over the weekend.
In addition to restricting social media access for under-15s, the bill also provides for a ban on mobile phones in high schools, expanding on existing limits already in place in lower levels of education.
Authorities want the measures to take effect from the start of the 2026 school year in September, applying initially to new social media accounts.
Former prime minister Gabriel Attal, who leads Macron’s Renaissance party in the National Assembly, said he hoped the Senate would pass the bill by mid-February, allowing the ban to come into force on September 1.
He added that social media platforms would then have until December 31 to deactivate existing accounts that fail to comply with the new age requirements.
Enforcement and EU Oversight
While supporting France’s right to pursue the ban, the European Commission said enforcement would ultimately fall under EU jurisdiction, provided the legislation aligns with European law.
Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said it would be up to the EU to ensure platforms implement effective age-verification systems, which are essential for making the ban enforceable. Work on such systems is already underway at the European level.
The bill specifies that access to online social networking services operated by digital platforms would be prohibited for children under 15, while excluding online encyclopedias and educational platforms from the restriction.
Mixed Reactions
Supporters argue the measure is necessary to protect children from risks such as cyberbullying, violent content, and social media addiction. France’s public health watchdog ANSES said earlier this month that platforms like TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram have several harmful effects on adolescents—particularly girls—although it noted social media is not the sole cause of declining mental health.
Critics, however, have raised concerns. Arnaud Saint-Martin, a lawmaker from the hard-left France Unbowed party, described the proposal as a form of “digital paternalism” and an overly simplistic response to complex technological challenges.
Meanwhile, nine child protection organisations urged lawmakers to focus on holding platforms accountable rather than banning children outright.
Former prime minister Elisabeth Borne also expressed reservations, warning that enforcement could prove difficult. “It’s more complicated than that,” she told broadcaster France 2, stressing the need to ensure existing phone bans in schools are properly implemented first.
Despite the criticism, Macron has continued to publicly back the legislation, arguing that decisive action is needed to protect young people and preserve France’s digital independence.
