France moves closer to banning social media for under-15s
France is edging towards a nationwide ban on social media for children under 15, as lawmakers begin debating new legislation in the National Assembly. If approved, the law would block access to platforms like TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat for younger teenagers, with President Emmanuel Macron pushing to have it in place by the start of the new school year in September.
Macron has asked his government to fast-track the bill, arguing that the impact of social media on children has gone unchecked for too long. In a video released over the weekend, he said: “The brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale. The emotions of our children and our teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated. Neither by American platforms, nor by Chinese algorithms.”
The proposed law would task France’s media regulator with drawing up a list of social networks that are considered harmful. Those platforms would be completely off-limits to under-15s. Other sites that are seen as less risky could still be accessed, but only with clear parental permission. Another part of the bill would extend a mobile phone ban to high schools, adding to the existing restrictions that are already in place for younger pupils.
Support for the bill cuts across party lines, with Macron’s allies expected to be joined by the centre-right Republicans and the far-right National Rally. The proposal is based on work led by MP Laure Miller, who previously chaired a parliamentary inquiry into the psychological effects of TikTok and similar apps.
Miller has argued that weak safeguards are a major problem. “Right now, there is no age verification whatsoever,” she said, adding that children can simply enter a fake date of birth. The bill would require platforms to properly check users’ ages under the EU’s Digital Services Act, meaning people would have to prove whether they are over or under 15.
Concerns about screen time and mental health are central to the debate. France’s health watchdog says one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on their smartphone, and almost 90% of 12- to 17-year-olds go online daily using their phones. A recent report linked heavy social media use to lower self-esteem and greater exposure to harmful content, including material linked to self-harm and suicide. Some French families have already taken legal action against TikTok over teenage deaths they believe are connected to what their children saw online.
France is not acting alone. Australia passed a landmark law last year banning social media for under-16s, leading to about 4.7 million accounts being removed. The move has inspired similar discussions across Europe, including in the UK, where the government is consulting on tighter rules for children online.
If French MPs back the bill, it will head to the Senate next, with Macron hoping the accelerated process will avoid delays and get the law passed before September. A previous attempt at a similar ban failed after courts ruled that it breached European law, meaning this version has already been reworked to meet legal concerns.
