France planning to ban children under 15 from social media starting 2026
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France plans to ban children under 15 from social media and restrict mobile phone use in high schools starting next year, local media Le Monde It was reported on Tuesday.
The proposal aims to reduce excessive screen time and protect minors from online risks such as inappropriate content. President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly stated that social media is a contributing factor to violence among young people.
“Many studies and reports now confirm the various risks posed by adolescents’ excessive use of digital screens,” the bill states, according to Le Monde. The statement was included.
The document stated that children with unrestricted access to the internet are exposed to “inappropriate content” and may be subject to cyberstalking or experience changes in their sleep patterns, according to the publication.
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President Emmanuel Macron plans to ban social media use by children under 15. (TERESA SUAREZ/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The proposal follows the lead of Australia, which introduced a world-first social media ban for children under 16 in December, restricting access to platforms such as Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
According to local media, Macron aims for parliament to debate the proposal in January, and the start date could be September next year.
Macron said he wanted to push for similar regulations across the European Union (EU) in June, following a deadly school stabbing in eastern France that shocked the country in April, Reuters reported.
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A 13-year-old girl uses her smartphone in a dark room. (iStock)
Macron has previously taken many steps to protect minors in the digital environment. But EU legal restrictions and technical difficulties, including weak enforcement, have limited the effectiveness of such measures.
Mobile phones have been banned in French primary and secondary schools since 2018, according to Le Monde.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese enacted the world’s first social media ban in December, banning children under the age of 16 from using major platforms. (Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
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In 2023, France was reportedly trying to pass a law calling for a “digital legal age” that would require parental consent for social media users under 15. But the law was blocked by EU regulations.
In November, the European Parliament called on the EU to set minimum social media ages to combat adolescent mental health issues, but the final decision rests with member states, Reuters reported.
