France Votes on Social Media Ban for Under-15s

French lawmakers are voting on a proposed law that would ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms. If approved, the legislation would require platforms to implement age verification systems approved by France’s privacy regulator, with the government aiming to enforce the rules before the next academic year.

Under the proposal, children younger than 15 would be barred from creating new social media accounts from September 1, while platforms would have four months to close existing accounts belonging to underage users. Educational websites and online encyclopaedias would remain accessible, while platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube would be affected by the restrictions.

The move follows similar action in Australia and reflects growing global concerns over the impact of social media on children’s mental health and safety. President Emmanuel Macron has strongly backed the legislation, arguing that limiting social media use among young people will help improve their well-being, attention, and development.