France becomes the first EU country to ban social media for children

France’s parliament has passed a landmark bill barring children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms. Lawmakers in both chambers of France’s parliament voted Tuesday in support of the legislation, which also bans students from using mobile phones in schools. The measure will make France the first country in the European Union to approve a blanket ban on social media, as concerns grow worldwide over the harmful effects of digital content on kids. The ban will not cover access to online encyclopaedias, educational or scientific directories.  

French lawmakers approved a ban on social-media access for children under the age of 15, as concerns grow around the world over the impact of social media on the health and safety of minors https://t.co/3zmN0jz5YK pic.twitter.com/uLNiKQN65e

— Reuters (@Reuters) July 21, 2026

President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the ban as a signature initiative of his second term, called parliament’s approval a major step forward. The French leader has pushed for the ban to come into effect by September, ahead of the new school year. However, a review to determine whether it complies with the French constitution could delay its implementation. A growing number of countries are taking steps to restrict social media access amid multiplying warnings over its harmful effects on children. 
Australia made history late last year when it implemented the first ban on social media for under-16s. The British government announced similar restrictions last month, expected to come into effect next year. Spain, Greece and Denmark are also planning to impose minimum age limits for social media use.
The new law will be enforced by Arcom, France’s audiovisual and digital communications regulator. It is expected to apply to all the major platforms. According to Arcom, children aged 12 to 17 in France spend an average of 1 hour and 21 minutes a day on TikTok. The regulator says the platform’s recommendation algorithm tends to promote the most “extreme” content, exposing teenagers to a continuous stream of anxiety-inducing or otherwise harmful videos.