France to become first EU nation to ban social media for children under 15

French lawmakers today voted in favor of banning social media use for children under the age of 15, making it the first nation in the European Union to introduce an age limit in line with legislation that is slowly taking hold globally.

President Emmanuel Macron, currently serving his last term, welcomed the ban, calling it a “major step forward.” He added, “France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and teenagers. The Constitutional Council must now rule on it, and then it will be time to take action to make this measure a reality and protect our children online.”

Following Senate approval, the country’s National Assembly members passed the bill by 279 votes to 81.

After years of widespread criticism concerning how social media is used by youngsters and how it affects their mental health, Australia made history when it became the first nation to wrestle under-16s off social media in 2025 after landmark legislation was passed in 2024. The United Kingdom has also announced a ban that will take effect next year, while Denmark, Greece and Spain are expected to follow. Separately, the EU is considering a wider ban across its 27 member states.

In France, Macron instructed the French government to expedite the bill’s passage through parliament so the legislation would be in place before the new school year begins in September. Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff told the press that the ban shouldn’t be a problem because “age-verification tools already exist,” adding, “If someone is under 15, the account will be closed.”

France’s public health watchdog has been very critical of apps such as Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat. It said last year that they have been proved to be harmful to children and addictive, one of the reasons for a decline in mental health in the country among the young, currently being described as a “pandemic.”

“The brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale,” President Macron said earlier this year, taking aim at big tech firms. “The emotions of our children and our teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, neither by American platforms nor by Chinese algorithms.”

As bans spread worldwide, there has been criticism from speech advocates who maintain there are better solutions than blanket bans and that some applications can be beneficial to children. French senators agreed, voting for a two-tier system wherein some platforms would be banned and some allowed with parental consent, but it is the lower house’s blanket ban that will be implemented.

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