France’s National Assembly has overwhelmingly approved a landmark bill to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, a move aimed at protecting young people from online bullying, harmful content and mental health risks.

The legislation was passed on 26 January 2026 with broad cross-party support and now heads to the French Senate before becoming law. President Emmanuel Macron has strongly backed the measure, urging rapid passage so it can take effect before the next school year in September.

The decision closely follows Australia’s world-first ban on social media for under-16s, which came into force in December 2025, and reflects growing international concern about the impact of digital platforms on children’s well-being. Supporters say the ban will shield minors from harm, while critics warn it could restrict access to information and social connection, and raise questions about enforceability and individual rights.

What France’s Parliament Has Done and Why

On the evening of 26 January 2026, France’s lower house of Parliament the National Assembly voted decisively in favour of a bill that would prohibit social media access for anyone under 15 years old, signalling a national effort to curb what lawmakers describe as escalating harms linked to digital platforms.

The bill was adopted with a sizeable majority 116 in favour and 23 against demonstrating cross-party political backing, including support from President Macron’s own Renaissance party, the National Rally and other coalition members.

President Emmanuel Macron hailed the vote as a “major step” forward in protecting children and teenagers, writing on social media platform X that the measure reflects scientific recommendations and public concern. He stressed: “Our children’s brains are not for sale not to American platforms, nor to Chinese networks,” underlining the urgency behind the proposal. Macron has called for the Senate to pass the bill swiftly, with the aim of enforcing it by the start of the 2026 academic year in September.

The legislation targets social networking services and “social networking functionalities” embedded within online platforms, though it explicitly excludes online encyclopaedias and educational resources from the ban.

Lawmakers also want platforms to implement age-verification systems capable of blocking younger users, with regulators expected to monitor compliance. The draft text also extends an existing ban on mobile phone use in junior schools to include high schools.

Voices on Both Sides and Broader Context

Supporters argue that the law is a necessary response to mounting evidence linking heavy social media use with negative outcomes for young people. Centrist lawmaker Laure Miller, who presented the bill in the National Assembly, told the chamber that social media had contributed to a decline in reading, disrupted sleep, and unhealthy social comparisons among adolescents. “This is a battle for free minds,” she said, framing the bill as a societal boundary-setting measure.

Former Prime Minister and Renaissance party leader Gabriel Attal echoed this, expressing hope that the Senate would pass the bill in time to enforce the ban from 1 September 2026, and that platforms would have until the end of December to deactivate existing non-compliant accounts. Attal also argued the legislation would help counter the influence of external forces he described as seeking to “colonise minds” through algorithmic content delivery.

France’s public health watchdog, ANSES, has contributed to the debate by highlighting several harmful effects associated with platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, particularly for adolescent girls, although it has stressed social media is not the sole cause of mental health challenges.

However, the bill has not escaped criticism. Opposition voices in Parliament, including members of the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), have characterised the ban as “digital paternalism” and an overly simplistic approach to complex technological and social issues.

Nine child protection associations also urged lawmakers to hold platforms accountable rather than outright banning young people from social media. Former Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne warned that enforcement would be complicated and that existing bans in middle schools need proper implementation before expanding them further.

Global Comparisons and Challenges Ahead

France’s move places it at the forefront of a growing global trend in regulating youth access to digital platforms. In December 2025, Australia became the first country to enforce a ban on social media use for children under 16 across major services such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube prompting millions of under-age accounts to be removed. Other nations, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, Greece and Ireland, are now exploring similar legal frameworks.

At the European level, the European Parliament has passed non-binding resolutions recommending a minimum age of 16 for social media access, placing pressure on member states to adopt stricter national standards. However, how these national laws will align with EU digital rights and regulatory frameworks remains an open question.

Implementation will also pose practical challenges. Age-verification systems must balance effectiveness with privacy, and enforcing access bans could be technically and legally complex given the borderless nature of digital services. These factors have fuelled debate among technologists, human rights advocates and families about unintended consequences, such as limiting children’s access to positive educational and social opportunities online

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

France’s bold step to limit social media access for under-15s underscores a genuine concern for youth mental health, cyberbullying and the impact of unrestricted digital exposure. However, while shielding children from harm is paramount, bans alone may not be sufficient or holistic.

Children’s interactions with digital spaces are deeply embedded in education, social life and civic participation and simply restricting access risks alienating young voices and limiting opportunities for learning and supportive community building.