France has become the first European country to ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media after lawmakers approved landmark legislation that will take effect in January 2027.
The legislation, passed by both the French Senate and National Assembly on Tuesday, requires all social media users in France to verify their age before creating or maintaining an account.
President Emmanuel Macron, who had pledged to introduce the measure before leaving office, welcomed the decision, describing it as a major step towards protecting children’s mental health.
How the New Law Will Work
The restrictions will be introduced in two phases.
Beginning in September 2026, anyone under the age of 15 will be prohibited from opening new social media accounts. All new users will be required to complete age verification.
From January 2027, the rule will extend to existing users, meaning everyone in France will need to prove they are at least 15 years old to continue using social media platforms.
According to Reuters, platforms will be required to use age-verification systems approved by France’s privacy regulator.
Privacy Concerns Remain
Although the government insists reliable verification technology already exists, critics have questioned whether the system can be effectively enforced.
Concerns have also been raised about user privacy and the possibility of children bypassing age checks. Question marks also surround the speed with which the legislation was drafted and approved.
French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff defended the rollout, saying the rapid implementation was possible “because age-verification tools already exist.”
Australia Offers a Warning
France’s legislation follows Australia’s decision to ban social media for children under 16 in December 2025.
However, Australia’s experience has highlighted the challenges of enforcing such restrictions.
Earlier this year, Australia’s eSafety Commission reported that seven out of 10 children under 16 who already had social media accounts before the ban still retained some level of access.
Professor Tama Leaver, an internet studies expert at Curtin University in Australia, said the Australian ban had “failed” in achieving its technical objective.
Nevertheless, he argued it demonstrated that a nationwide restriction “can be done,” describing it as “a bit of an experiment.”
Leaver also said future policies should involve young people directly. Adding that restrictions should be “done with them” rather than “to them.”
He suggested France’s tougher requirement for every user to verify their age could improve enforcement. He also warned it may also create greater privacy risks.
Wider European Trend
France’s move comes amid growing efforts across Europe to limit children’s exposure to social media.
In June, former UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced that Britain would ban under-16s from social media from January 2027. This comes alongside an optional midnight curfew for users aged 16 and 17.
Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a Europe-wide “social media delay” for children in May. He also indicated that new legislation could be introduced within the coming months.
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