France’s parliament has approved a bill that bans children under 15 from using social media, making it the first European country to bar access to platforms including TikTok for that age group. President Emmanuel Macron backed the measure as a key reform during his final term and said he planned to have it enforced by September. In a video posted on social media, Macron said France was “leading the way in Europe” on protecting children and teenagers online, adding that the vote was “a major step forward”. On Tuesday, the National Assembly passed the bill after it had already been approved by the Senate earlier in the day. The lower house voted in favour by 279 to 81. Macron said the Constitutional Council must first rule on the legislation before it can be implemented. Parliament clears billMacron said the next step would be for authorities to “take action” following the Constitutional Council’s decision, after which the government would move to enforce the ban. The bill has been framed as a response to growing concerns about the effects of social media on children, following warnings in a number of countries. Two-stage roll-outUnder the legislation, the restrictions are set to be introduced in two phases. From 1 September, children under 15 would be blocked from creating new social media accounts. The ban on existing accounts would follow from January 2027. Digital minister Anne Le Hénanff said before the vote that the timetable was realistic because “age-verification tools already exist”, while other methods are being developed. She said the responsibility would fall on platforms to apply the rules and added that users in France would have to prove their age. The minister also said the measure includes assurances that people’s personal data would be protected. Macron’s government linked enforcement by September to a separate provision in the bill that would introduce a ban on mobile phones in high schools at the start of the French school year. Health findings and limitsFrance’s public health watchdog said last year that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were harmful to adolescents, particularly girls. It said this was not the only factor behind trends in declining mental health, but lawmakers nevertheless agreed that regulation was needed. However, the two parliamentary chambers differed on how the rules should work. Senators had backed a two-tier approach, with some platforms being placed on a blacklist if they were deemed harmful to a child’s development, while others could still be accessed with parental consent. The National Assembly chose a blanket ban, despite criticism from some politicians on the left. They raised concerns about how age checks would be carried out, the speed of implementation, the risk that children could bypass the rules and potential privacy issues. The bill makes exceptions for certain types of sites, including online encyclopedias and educational platforms. It also does not set penalties for children or parents. Centrist senator Catherine Morin-Desailly said the blacklisting system would have taken longer and required fresh consultation with the European Commission on criteria, and she warned of a “small risk” that such an approach could run into issues under European law. Assembly member Laure Miller said major platforms were largely ready for the switch. European plans and international comparisonsThe European Commission has been considering a social media ban after pressure from member states including France, Greece and Spain. Last week, Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said children should have “phased and gradual access” to social media. The commission has also unveiled an age verification app that EU countries, including France, have begun testing in recent months. France is likely to face scrutiny from other European governments, as it is among about 20 countries worldwide that have proposed or introduced similar measures. Last December, Australia became the first country to require TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat and other major platforms to remove accounts held by users under 16 or face heavy fines. Join the discussion? 22 July 2026
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