Frances Becomes 1st EU Country To Ban Social Media For Under 15s

France has become the first country in the European Union to approve a nationwide ban preventing children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms such as TikTok.

The legislation, which has been backed by both houses of parliament, is now awaiting a decision from the Constitutional Council before it can become law.

President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the vote, describing it as a major step towards protecting children and teenagers online. He said he intends to have the measure in force by September.

Under the proposed law, children under 15 will be prevented from creating new social media accounts from 1 September.

Existing accounts held by under 15s would be closed from January 2027. France's Digital Minister, Anne Le Hénanff, said age verification technology is already available and that social media companies will be responsible for enforcing the rules while protecting users' personal data.

The legislation also includes a ban on mobile phone use in French high schools, which is expected to take effect at the start of the new school year.

The move comes as concerns grow over the impact of social media on young people's mental health.

France's public health watchdog has previously warned that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram can have harmful effects on adolescents, particularly girls.

The European Commission is also examining proposals to introduce stricter age restrictions across the bloc and has begun testing an age verification app.

Similar measures have already been introduced or proposed in several countries, with Australia becoming the first nation to require platforms to remove accounts belonging to under 16s.

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