France Moves to Ban Social Media for Under 15s

France’s National Assembly has taken a major step toward restricting children’s access to social media, voting overwhelmingly in favour of a ban for under-15s. Lawmakers approved the bill by 116 votes to 23 on Monday, sending it to the Senate for review before a final vote in the lower house.

The proposed law would prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media platforms, as well as social networking features embedded within other digital services. The move reflects growing concern over the impact of online bullying, screen addiction and social media-related mental health risks among young people.

President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly warned about the role social media can play in fuelling violence and harmful behaviour among youth. He has urged France to follow Australia’s lead, which introduced a world-first ban on social media for under-16s last December, covering platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

Macron wants the French ban in place by the start of the next school year in September.

“With this law, we are setting a clear boundary in society and saying social media is not harmless,” centrist lawmaker Laure Miller told parliament while presenting the bill.

“Our children are reading less, sleeping less, and comparing themselves to one another more. This is a battle for free minds.”

France would join a growing international debate on age limits for social media. Australia’s approach is now being examined by several European countries, including Britain, Denmark, Spain and Greece. At the EU level, the European Parliament has called for minimum age requirements, though enforcement remains the responsibility of individual member states.

Support for tougher rules is strong in France. Far-right lawmaker Thierry Perez described the bill as a response to a “health emergency,” asking: “Social media has allowed everyone to express themselves, but at what cost to our children?”

Under the proposal, platforms would be required to block access for young teenagers using age-verification systems that comply with EU law. However, enforcement could prove challenging. Australian authorities have already acknowledged difficulties after children openly boasted online about bypassing the new rules.

The French legislation also expands an existing smartphone ban in junior and middle schools to include high schools.

Public opinion appears firmly behind the measure. A 2024 Harris Interactive survey found that 73% of French respondents supported banning social media for under-15s. Teenagers themselves are divided: some admit the platforms can be harmful, while others argue that an outright ban goes too far.