France vote comes as more countries weigh child social media limits

French lawmakers were scheduled to vote on Tuesday on a proposal to ban social media access for children under 15, as governments in several regions consider or introduce age limits for online platforms.

A tally in the report says 20 countries worldwide have proposed or introduced such measures, with five already in force.

Australia has banned social media for children under 16 since December 2025. Brazil passed a law in March requiring platforms to link accounts belonging to users under 16 to their parents' accounts and to verify users' ages. China has progressively restricted minors' access to social media since 2019. Its first measures covered online gaming time limits and curfews, before similar limits were extended in 2023 to social media and streaming platforms.

Indonesia has banned social media for under-16s since March. Malaysia has taken a similar approach, with legislation that came into force in June excluding under-16s from major platforms.

Turkey passed legislation in April to bar under-15s from social media, and the law is expected to take effect in late 2026. The United Arab Emirates announced a ban for under-15s last month, with implementation expected in about a year.

Across the European Union, the European Commission plans to propose measures later this year for a total ban for children under 13 and phased access for those aged 13 to 18. Greece announced in early April that it intends to ban social media access for under-15s from January 1, 2027. Austria and Slovenia are preparing legislation to prohibit access for under-14s and under-15s, respectively.

In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz supports restricting or possibly banning social media for children, while an expert commission has proposed either an age-graded ban or platform-specific restrictions. In Sweden, a government commission has proposed banning social media for under-15s by early 2028. Denmark's government announced in October 2025 that it would propose banning several social media platforms for under-15s. Ireland has warned that it may legislate if there is no EU decision.

Outside the EU, Norway's government plans to present a bill by the end of the year to ban access for those under 16. The United Kingdom is looking to ban social media for under-16s by early 2027 under a measure planned by former prime minister Keir Starmer. Canada wants to set the minimum age for social media use at 16. Several Indian states are considering restrictions for children, and the Indian government said it is discussing possible measures with platforms.

In France, deputies and senators have reached a compromise on a bill to ban social media for children under 15. The lower house approved the bill at first reading in January, but the Senate later amended it to cover only the most harmful platforms, raising concern in Brussels. The French government hopes the measure can come into force in September. Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said it would make France the first country in Europe to establish a digital legal age.

Portugal is considering a bill that would set the age for independent access to platforms, services, games and applications at 16. Spain has proposed raising the minimum age for registering on a social media platform from 14 to 16. In Italy, parliament is considering legislation to ban social media use for children under 15.