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The French Parliament voted to implement a ban on children under the age of 15 using social media on Tuesday. Both the French Senate and the National Assembly adopted the ban, fulfilling a flagship initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron’s second term. The decision makes France the first country in the European Union to issue a blanket ban for minors on social media platforms.
Macron urged young French people to switch off their phones and read, and the legislation also includes a ban on cellphones in high schools. The issue of children’s online safety has been important for Macron, and he reiterated his dedication to it during his 2026 New Year’s Address to the people of France.
When will this take effect? Macron wants the ban to be implemented on Sept. 1, with social media accounts allowed an extra four months to close any existing accounts run by kids under the age of 15. Social media platforms would also be required to use age verification systems approved by the French privacy regulator. The legislation is one of the last to be adopted under Macron’s presidency before he leaves office next year, but it could face a review to determine its alignment with the French Constitution.
Gaëlle Berbonde, a 52-year-old resident of the Paris region, told the Associated Press that the citizens of France have no other way to counter tech giants. She added that parents must protect their children, explaining that when her daughter first got TikTok Berbonde had no idea what it was, but it had disastrous effects on her daughter’s mental health.