France Passes Law Banning Social Media for Children Under 15

The French Parliament has officially approved a law banning social media use for children under the age of 15, effective from January 2027. The move makes France the first European country to isolate young teenagers from social media platforms.

Under the new rules, all internet users in France will be required to verify their age in order to access social media. The policy comes amid mounting concerns in the United Kingdom and the European Union about the impact of social media on children’s mental health.

French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the passing of the law, which had been one of his promises ahead of the end of his term. Despite criticism from several quarters, including left-wing politicians doubting its effectiveness, the French government insisted that the age verification tools being prepared are safe and effective.

Implementation of the law will be carried out in two stages. Once the rules are fully in force, social media platforms will be required to use an age verification system approved by the French privacy watchdog.

Nevertheless, concerns have emerged regarding data privacy protection, the effectiveness of verification tools, and the potential for teenagers to evade the rules. Responding to worries about the speed of the law’s passage, French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff offered a defence.

“Because age verification tools already exist,” said Le Hénanff before the vote took place.

France becomes the second country in the world to adopt such stringent measures, after Australia banned social media use for children under 16 last December. However, the effectiveness of Australia’s rules remains in question. Australia’s eSafety Commission reported that seven out of ten children under 16 who had accounts before the ban still retained access.

Tama Leaver, Professor of Internet Studies at Curtin University, believes the French ban may have a higher chance of success because it requires age verification for all users. However, he cautioned that other risks remain.

“Young people need to be part of this conversation,” Leaver told the BBC, stressing that the rules should be made together with them, not merely imposed upon them. He also warned of the risk of teenagers being pushed into less regulated digital spaces.

France’s move strengthens the trend of restricting children’s social media access across Europe. The United Kingdom has previously announced a similar ban for children under 16 from January 2027, whilst European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also proposed delaying children’s access to social media across the European region.