Law & Justice
French parliament approves under-15 social media ban
France's parliament approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making France the first European country to bar children from platforms such as TikTok.
President Emmanuel Macron, who has promoted the measure as a flagship reform of his final term, said France was leading Europe in protecting children and teenagers online. He said the Constitutional Council must still rule on the bill before action can be taken to apply it.
The Senate approved the bill earlier Tuesday, and the National Assembly then passed it by 279 votes to 81. The measure is planned in two stages. Children under 15 would be blocked from creating new accounts from September 1, and the ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027.
Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said before the vote that the timetable was realistic because age-verification tools already exist and others are being developed. She said platforms would be responsible for enforcing the rule and that personal data would be protected. She also said people in France would have to prove their age and that accounts held by users under 15 would be closed.
The timing would also allow a provision banning mobile phones in high schools to take effect at the start of the French school year.
France's public health watchdog said last year that platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were harmful to adolescents, especially girls, although they were not the only reason for worsening mental health. Lawmakers agreed on the need for regulation, but the two houses of parliament had differed on how to proceed.
Senators had preferred a two-level system, with some platforms blacklisted as harmful and others available with parental consent. The lower house's broader ban prevailed despite criticism from some left-wing lawmakers over age verification, the speed of implementation, possible circumvention and privacy concerns.
The bill includes exceptions for sites such as online encyclopaedias and educational platforms. It does not provide penalties for children or parents.
The measure is being watched in Europe. The EU has been considering limits on children's access to social media after a push by member states including France, Greece and Spain. European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said last week that children should have phased and gradual access to social media. The Commission has also introduced an age-verification app that member states, including France, have started testing.
The report said France is one of 20 countries worldwide to have proposed or introduced such measures. Australia became the first country to require major platforms to remove under-16 accounts or face heavy fines in December last year.
Update
The National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81 after Senate approval earlier Tuesday.
The ban is planned in two stages: new accounts for under-15s blocked from September 1 and existing accounts covered from January 2027.
Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said age-verification tools already exist or are being developed and that platforms must enforce the rule.
The bill includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools intended to take effect at the start of the French school year.
The law provides exceptions for sites such as online encyclopaedias and educational platforms and does not set penalties for children or parents.
The Constitutional Council still has to rule on the measure.
The source gives context on concerns from health authorities, criticism over age checks and privacy, and EU interest in age verification.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 18:32:37 UTC.
Update
President Emmanuel Macron said France was at the forefront of European efforts to protect children online.
Macron made the comments in a video posted on social media.
Macron called the bill's approval a major step forward.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 18:16:52 UTC.
Update
The National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81.
The bill has now been approved by France's parliament after Senate approval earlier the same day.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 18:02:55 UTC.
Update
French parliament has backed the social media ban for children under 15.
The AFP item describes the measure as an EU first.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 17:56:26 UTC.
Update
The French Senate overwhelmingly approved the bill by 243 votes to two.
The National Assembly was expected to adopt the bill on Tuesday evening, barring surprises.
The ban would block under-15s from creating new accounts from September 1 and apply to existing accounts from January 2027.
The digital minister said users in France would have to prove their age and that accounts held by people under 15 would be closed.
The text includes exceptions for online encyclopaedias and educational platforms and provides no penalties for children or parents.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 16:08:06 UTC.
Update
The ban would block under-15s from creating new social media accounts from September 1.
The ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027, according to the text.
French Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said age-verification tools already exist and that platforms would be responsible for imposing the rule.
The bill also includes a mobile phone ban in high schools intended to be in place by the start of the French school year.
Exceptions are provided for sites such as online encyclopaedias and educational platforms.
The text does not provide penalties for children or parents.
The lower house's blanket ban prevailed over a Senate proposal for a two-tier system.
The European Commission has unveiled an age-verification app being tested by member states including France.
Source note: AFP news report published on 21 July 2026 at 14:28:23 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The Constitutional Council has not yet ruled on the bill.
The source reports concerns about age verification, privacy and possible circumvention.
Source
AFP news report published on .