French lawmakers approve a sweeping social media ban for children under 15
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.
In short
- 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
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of the ban argue that lawmakers have a duty to protect children from well-documented harms linked to early social media use, including anxiety, depression, disrupted sleep, exposure to harmful content and grooming by predators. They point out that society already restricts children from alcohol, tobacco and driving well before adulthood, so a similar age threshold for platforms designed to maximise engagement through addictive algorithms is a reasonable extension of that principle. Many parents and paediatric health professionals back the measure, saying it relieves families from having to fight alone against sophisticated app design intended to capture children's attention, and gives schools and communities a common standard rather than leaving each household to negotiate limits individually.
The case against
Opponents, including many civil liberties advocates and some parents, argue that a blanket state ban is a blunt instrument that oversteps into decisions best left to families, who understand their own children's maturity and needs better than a national law can. They warn that the policy will be difficult to enforce, since determined teenagers can use VPNs or falsified ages to bypass restrictions, meaning the law may chiefly inconvenience honest users while doing little to stop determined evasion. Critics also raise concerns that mandatory age verification could require intrusive identity checks that compromise the privacy of all users, and that cutting off legitimate access may isolate some young people from valuable peer support, educational content and civic engagement that responsible platform use can provide.
Explained simply
France’s Parliament has two chambers, both of which must approve a bill before it can become law. The measure is part of President Emmanuel Macron’s government’s effort to limit children’s access to social media, alongside restrictions on mobile phones in secondary schools.
The bill sets a minimum age of 15 for social media, while exempting resources such as online encyclopedias and educational or scientific sites. It raises questions about how services would check users’ ages and deal with accounts already held by younger children.
The debate is part of wider concern about social media’s effects on children’s wellbeing and mental health. Australia has introduced a similar age-based ban, and several European countries are considering restrictions as the European Commission works on proposals for the EU.