French lawmakers have approved a bill that will ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, a move championed by President Emmanuel Macron to safeguard the mental health and well-being of young people.
The National Assembly passed the legislation in an overnight vote from Monday to Tuesday, with 130 lawmakers in favour and 21 against. The bill now moves to the Senate, France’s upper house, before it can become law.
Macron hailed the vote as a “major step” to protect French children and teenagers. The legislation also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools and would make France the second country to enforce such age restrictions, following Australia’s ban for under-16s implemented in December 2025.
In a statement, Macron said, “The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms.” Authorities plan to enforce the ban from the start of the 2026 school year for new accounts, while existing accounts that do not meet the age requirement must be deactivated by December 31, 2026.
Gabriel Attal, leader of Macron’s Renaissance party in the lower house, said he expects the Senate to pass the bill by mid-February. He added that the measure is designed not only to protect children from harmful online content but also to reduce the influence of social media platforms on young minds.
France’s public health agency, ANSES, has reported that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram can have detrimental effects on adolescents, particularly girls. Risks include cyberbullying, exposure to violent content, and mental health challenges.
The legislation stipulates that minors under 15 are prohibited from accessing online social networking services, though educational platforms and online encyclopedias are exempt. An effective age verification system is being developed at the European level to ensure compliance.
The bill has drawn criticism from some quarters. Arnaud Saint-Martin of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) called it “digital paternalism” and an overly simplistic approach. Child protection associations have urged lawmakers to hold social media platforms accountable rather than restricting children’s access entirely.
Macron has also endorsed broader restrictions on mobile phone use in high schools. France first banned phones in middle schools, for children aged 11 to 15, in 2018. Former prime minister Elisabeth Borne expressed caution, emphasizing that proper implementation and enforcement in schools are crucial.
AFP