France has become the first European Union member to pass a law banning social media access for children under the age of 15. The legislation, approved overwhelmingly by both chambers of Parliament on Tuesday, July 22, 2026, also includes a ban on phone use in high schools. The bill now awaits final approval from the Constitutional Council before becoming law.

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose term ends next year, has long advocated for such measures. In June 2025, following a tragic incident where a 14-year-old fatally stabbed a teaching assistant during a bag search, Macron urged the European Union to implement a social media ban for children under 15. He warned that if the EU failed to act, France would proceed independently.

Under the new law, social media platforms will be responsible for using age verification systems to prevent underage users from accessing their services. Exceptions will be made for online encyclopedias and educational digital services. The ban is set to apply to existing accounts starting January 2027.

Other European countries, including Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Spain, are also drafting similar laws to restrict social media use among minors. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has indicated that the EU may soon introduce age-verification measures. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom plans to enforce a social media ban for children under 16 by next year.

Opposition to the French bill came from lawmakers of the left-wing party France Unbowed, who argued that the law's constitutionality is unclear, that it would effectively end online anonymity, and that enforcement would be impossible. Critics also warn that such regulations normalize the idea that every online interaction should be traceable and that internet anonymity could be eroded.

Sources