France plnas to ban social media access for children under 15

France is planning a renewed legislative push to restrict children’s access to social media, proposing a ban for minors under the age of 15 by September 2026. The initiative, supported by President Emmanuel Macron, follows growing political concern about the effects of excessive screen time and online exposure on young people.

According to a draft law seen by Agence France-Presse, the proposal is grounded in research linking intensive digital screen use among adolescents to risks such as exposure to inappropriate content, cyber-harassment, and sleep disruption. The government argues that unfettered access to social media platforms can negatively affect children’s well-being and development.

The draft legislation consists of two core provisions. The first would make it illegal for online platforms to provide social media services to children under the age of 15. The second would introduce a ban on mobile phone use in secondary schools, expanding earlier restrictions that already apply to younger pupils.

France has previously sought to regulate children’s digital use, with mixed results. A ban on mobile phone use in preschools and middle schools was introduced in 2018 but has been unevenly enforced. More recently, a 2023 law establishing a “digital age of consent” at 15 was blocked after running into conflicts with European Union rules.

The upper house of parliament, the Sénat, has also advanced its own proposal focused on limiting excessive screen time. That initiative includes a requirement for parental consent for children aged 13 to 16 to register on social media platforms and has been submitted to the National Assembly for consideration.

If adopted, the new proposal would place France among a small but growing group of countries pursuing strict age-based restrictions on social media access for minors, following similar steps taken recently in Australia.