France to impose social media restrictions for children under 15

The French parliament has approved a bill restricting social media access for children under 15 as part of efforts to reduce the negative impact of digital platforms on children’s health and development. The regulation is still awaiting approval from the Constitutional Council before it can officially take effect. If passed, France would become the first country in the European Union to impose a social media ban for children, following a similar move by Australia in 2024. The new regulation not only limits social media access for children but also includes a ban on mobile phone use in schools and rules regarding digital advertising. The mechanism for enforcement is likely to be determined by the French Audiovisual and Digital Communication Regulatory Authority (ARCOM), which will also be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the rules. President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the parliamentary approval. In a post on social media platform X, Macron expressed his hope that the regulation could be implemented by the start of the new school year in September. France is not the only European country considering social media restrictions for children. The United Kingdom has discussed implementing a similar ban and has already introduced some aspects of restriction through age verification provisions in its Online Safety Act. Meanwhile, Denmark is reportedly preparing its own social media restriction rules for children, and Canada introduced a bill in June to ban social media use for those under 16.