French lawmakers have approved a landmark bill that would ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, marking a significant step in the country’s efforts to curb excessive screen time and safeguard young people’s mental health.
The bill was passed by the National Assembly after an overnight debate, winning a decisive vote of 130 in favour to 21 against. It will now move to the Senate for further discussion before it can become law.
President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the vote, calling it a “major step” in protecting children and teenagers from the harmful effects of uncontrolled screen exposure. In a message shared on X, he stressed that the emotional wellbeing of young people should not be shaped or exploited by powerful digital platforms and opaque algorithms.
If enacted, the law would make France the second country, after Australia, to impose strict age limits on social media access. Australia introduced a similar ban for under-16s in December, reflecting a growing global concern over the impact of digital platforms on child development and mental health.
The proposed legislation also includes a ban on mobile phone use in high schools, expanding France’s existing restrictions. Since 2018, mobile phones have already been banned in middle schools for students aged 11 to 15.
Authorities aim to enforce the new rules from the start of the 2026 school year for new accounts. Former prime minister Gabriel Attal, now leading Macron’s Renaissance party in the National Assembly, said he hopes the Senate will approve the bill by mid-February. If that happens, the ban could take effect from September 1, with social media platforms given until December 31 to deactivate existing accounts that fail to meet the age requirement.
Supporters of the bill argue that social media has played a growing role in cyberbullying, exposure to violent or harmful content, and declining mental health among adolescents. France’s public health watchdog ANSES recently highlighted the negative effects of platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, particularly on teenage girls, while noting that social media is not the sole cause of mental health challenges.
The bill clearly states that access to online social networking services would be prohibited for minors under 15, while excluding educational platforms and online encyclopedias. To make the ban effective, a robust age verification system will be required, with related work already underway at the European level.
However, the proposal has faced criticism. Lawmakers from the hard-left France Unbowed party described the ban as overly simplistic and warned against what they see as digital paternalism. Meanwhile, several child protection organisations have urged authorities to focus on holding tech companies accountable rather than restricting children’s access outright.
Even within the government, some caution has been expressed. Former prime minister Elisabeth Borne noted that enforcement remains a challenge, pointing out that existing phone bans in schools must first be properly implemented before expanding restrictions further.
