WORLD · 23 Jul 2026 · 03:04 GMT ·1 min read

France Enacts Landmark Social Media Restrictions for Minors Amid Growing Health Concerns

France has become the first EU nation to ban social media access for children under 15, with the law taking effect on September 1, 2026.

NEUTRALITY 93 · BALANCED· 5 sources

Al Jazeera

France has become the first EU nation to ban social media access for children under 15, with the law taking effect on September 1, 2026. Platforms must close existing accounts by January 1, 2027, and implement regulator-approved age verification. The legislation also prohibits mobile phones in high schools. French health authorities cited risks like reduced self-esteem and exposure to harmful content. Critics warn that young users may easily bypass the restrictions. France follows Australia's December 2025 ban for children under 16 and similar measures in nations like Indonesia and Turkey.

Context

The French government first attempted to introduce a "digital majority" age of 15 in 2023. However, early versions conflicted with European Union digital privacy laws.

Negotiators refined the legislation to comply with the EU’s Digital Services Act. The final version prevents the creation of new accounts for under-15s and forces platforms to delete or restrict pre-existing accounts.

Supportive perspectives

The French health watchdog identified significant risks for minors, including reduced self-esteem and exposure to content related to self-harm, suicide, and drug use.
Data from the French health agency shows that 58% of teenagers use smartphones for social media, with half of all teenagers spending between two and five hours daily on their devices.
The law extends beyond digital platforms to include a ban on the use of mobile phones in French high schools, a measure that lawmakers included alongside the social media restrictions.

Critical perspectives

Critics argue that the ban may prove ineffective in practice because young users often find ways to bypass age restrictions and access platforms regardless of the law.
The European Commission is currently conducting a review of the French legislation to determine whether the new rules comply with existing European Union law.
The broad scope of the legislation, which includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools, has drawn scrutiny over where legislative authority ends and parental discretion begins, though no specific critic or body is named in available sources.