France Leads EU with Ban on Social Media for Under‑15s

Paris made headlines on Tuesday when the French Parliament voted, by a decisive 279‑to‑81 margin, to outlaw new social‑media accounts for anyone under the age of 15. Backed by President Emmanuel Macron, the legislation marks the first time an EU nation has taken such a sweeping step.

Macron announced the win in a short video posted to his own channels, calling the measure a “major step” to protect youngsters from the pitfalls of constant online exposure. He added that the Constitutional Council now has to give its sign‑off before the law can kick in, which he hopes will happen in time for the start of the new school year on September 1.

So, what does the law actually require? From September 2026, any platform that allows users to create an account will have to prove that the person is at least 15 years old. Existing accounts belonging to under‑15s will be forcibly closed starting in January 2027. The French Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff reassured reporters that basic age‑verification tools already exist, and that additional, more sophisticated solutions are being developed.

The bill does carve out a few exceptions. Educational sites, online encyclopaedias and scientific resources will remain accessible, and there are no penalties aimed at children or their parents for non‑compliance. The onus, she said, sits squarely on the shoulders of the tech companies, which must also keep any personal data they collect safe and private.

Public health officials have been sounding the alarm for years. A 2025 report from France’s health watchdog warned that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram are linked to lower self‑esteem, anxiety and exposure to harmful content, especially among teenage girls. The same study found that roughly nine out of ten youngsters aged 12‑17 use a smartphone daily, and about half spend two to five hours each day scrolling through feeds.

Not everyone is cheering. Opposition deputies, particularly from the left, argue that mass age‑verification could erode online anonymity and pose a privacy nightmare. Critics also point out the logistical nightmare of hunting down and shutting down millions of existing accounts belonging to under‑15s.

Nevertheless, France’s move is already rippling across Brussels. The European Union has been debating tighter digital rules, and countries like Greece and Spain have voiced support for stricter age limits. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently advocated for a “phased and gradual” approach to social‑media access for minors, while the Commission pilots an age‑verification app in several member states.

In addition to the social‑media ban, the French government plans to bar mobile‑phone use in high schools, aiming to roll both measures out at the start of the 2026‑27 academic year. If the law survives a constitutional review, France could very well set the template for the rest of Europe – and perhaps the world – on how to safeguard the next generation from the darker side of the digital age.