France Bans Social Media for Under-15s

A pioneering law in the European Union

On July 21, the French Senate and National Assembly approved a law banning access to social media for those under 15 — the first such measure in the European Union. The law is part of President Emmanuel Macron’s agenda to regulate technology use among young people.

The law takes effect on September 1. Digital platforms will have an additional four months to close existing accounts of users under the age limit. They must also implement age-verification systems approved by France’s data regulator to block new underage users.

The Australian precedent

France becomes the first EU country to implement such a restriction, though not the first globally: Australia introduced a similar measure in December, raising the age limit to 16.

The decision is supported by data on mobile phone use among French adolescents. Legislative debates cited figures showing that one in two French teens spends two to five hours daily on their phone, and 90% of those aged 12–17 access the internet daily via mobile.

Parental support and political criticism

The measure has strong support from families concerned about the impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Gaëlle Berbonde, a mother cited during public debate, summarized the sentiment of many parents: “The only thing we can do is protect our children.”

However, the law faces criticism. The left-wing party La France Insoumise questioned its constitutionality and warned of enforcement risks. Several tech companies have opposed such broad restrictions, citing technical and legal implementation challenges.

The debate on protecting minors in the digital environment continues to gain ground in Europe, and France’s experience may serve as a model for other EU countries.

Sources: Infobae.