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France’s National Assembly approved legislation on Monday to prohibit social media use by children under 15, driven by increasing worries over cyberbullying and mental health issues among minors. The proposed law intends to ban under-15s from accessing social networks and any social features integrated into larger platforms, reflecting a rising public concern about social media’s influence on young people.
Lawmakers voted 116 to 23 in favor of the bill. It now advances to the Senate for consideration before the final vote in the lower house. President Emmanuel Macron has pointed to social media as a contributing factor to youth violence and is advocating for France to emulate Australia, where a groundbreaking ban for those under 16 on platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube came into effect last December.
Macron aims to implement this ban before the upcoming school year in September. “This law establishes a clear boundary in society, making it clear that social media is not harmless,” said Laure Miller, a centrist legislator presenting the bill. “Our children are reading less, sleeping less, and comparing themselves more than ever. We’re fighting to protect free minds.”
Australia’s social media restrictions are being examined by countries such as Britain, Denmark, Spain, and Greece. The European Parliament has urged the European Union to set minimum age requirements for social media access, although individual member states are responsible for establishing their own age limits.
There is widespread political and public support in France for restricting minors’ social media access. Thierry Perez, a far-right lawmaker, described the bill as responding to a “health emergency,” questioning the impact of social media on children’s well-being.
The legislation will require platforms to verify the ages of young users using methods compliant with EU laws. However, enforcing such measures can be challenging; Australia’s government acknowledged that its rollout faced hurdles when minors falsely claiming to be under 16 flooded social media with messages bragging about their continued access.
Additionally, the new law extends an existing ban on smartphones in primary and middle schools to include high schools. A 2024 Harris Interactive survey showed that 73% of the French population supported banning social media for those under 15.
Among teenagers in Paris, opinions are mixed: some recognize the dangers of social media, while others believe such restrictions are overreaching.
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