# French lawmakers approve a sweeping social media ban for children under 15

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/french-lawmakers-approve-a-sweeping-social-media-ban-for-children-under-15/
- Published: 2026-07-22T05:46:50+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-29T01:27:02+00:00
- Original publisher: NPR (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.npr.org/2026/07/22/g-s1-134875/france-social-media-ban
- Topics: Europe, Politics, World

## Key points

- France bans social media for under-15s, an EU first
- Ban may start September, pending constitutional review
- Follows Australia's 2024 under-16s ban; other EU states watching

## Summary

France's parliament has approved a sweeping ban on social media use by children under 15, making it the first European Union country to enact such a blanket restriction. Both chambers backed the measure, a flagship policy of President Emmanuel Macron's government, alongside a related ban on mobile phones in secondary schools; the move reflects growing international concern over the effects of social media on children's wellbeing and mental health.

The legislation excludes online encyclopedias and educational or scientific resources from the ban, and Macron wants it in force by the start of the new school year in September, though a constitutional review could delay this. Practical questions remain, including how to handle existing accounts held by under-15s and how platforms will verify users' ages. The left-wing France Unbowed party opposed the bill on constitutional and enforceability grounds, while children's advocates and parents largely backed it. France's move follows Australia, which became the first country worldwide to ban social media for under-16s in 2024, while Spain, Denmark, Greece and the UK are considering similar measures and the European Commission works on EU-wide proposals.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.