The French Parliament has become the first in the EU to pass a bill banning social media use for those under 15.
Both houses of the French Federal Assembly have passed a bill that completely bans the use of social media by children under the age of 15. It is reported that France is the first country in the EU to pass a law that blanketly bans social media.
French lawmakers approve social media ban for children under 15 | AP News
French parliament backs social media ban for children under 15 | Reuters
https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/french-lawmakers-vote-social-media-ban-children-2026-07-21/
French parliament passes social media ban for under-15s | Social Media News | Al Jazeera
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/21/french-parliament-passes-social-media-ban-for-under-15s
French President Emmanuel Macron, who has made banning children's use of social media a flagship policy for his second term, commented, 'I have kept that promise. I thank the members of parliament,' and indicated his intention to implement the ban by September 2026, when the new school year begins. However, the Associated Press and other news outlets report that 'there is a high possibility that the bill will be reviewed to determine whether it conforms to the French Constitution, which could delay implementation.'
Merci aux parlementaires. pic.twitter.com/jC79unxX67
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 21, 2026
If the ban is implemented without delay, children under 15 years old will no longer be able to create new accounts on social media from September 1, 2026, and existing accounts belonging to those under 15 will be closed from January 2027.
In France, several families have sued TikTok, alleging that harmful content led to teenage suicides. Children's rights groups and parents welcomed the ruling.
One citizen, whose daughter became addicted to TikTok and developed anorexia, said, 'We have been campaigning for this bill from the beginning because there is no other way to fight against the giant tech companies. The only thing we can do is protect our children, just like protecting them from alcohol.'
Members of the left-wing party 'Disobedient France' opposed the bill, arguing that its constitutionality was unclear, it would effectively end online anonymity, and that it would be impossible to implement in practice.
In Australia, which has implemented similar legislation, it has been found that many children are circumventing age verification. There are also criticisms that age verification leads to censorship of children.
Australia's 'ban on social media for minors' fails to function due to ineffective age verification - GIGAZINE
Inez Legendre, legal counsel for the online protection group e-Enfance, stated that the law does not immediately lead to a complete ban, and that issues such as how to identify individuals, how to suspend accounts, and how to implement age verification for all newly created accounts must be resolved.
According to French health authorities, one in two teenagers spends two to five hours a day on their smartphones. The health authorities pointed out various harmful effects of social media use.
Other EU countries, such as Spain, Denmark, and Greece, are also planning to ban social media use among young people.
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