The French government is advancing landmark legislation that would prohibit children under 15 from accessing certain social media platforms, positioning the country to follow Australia’s precedent in implementing youth digital protection measures. The proposed law, currently under debate in the National Assembly, would establish a comprehensive framework for restricting minors’ exposure to platforms deemed harmful to psychological development.
President Emmanuel Macron has championed the initiative, emphasizing the urgency of implementing these protections before the September school year begins. ‘We cannot entrust our children’s mental and emotional well-being to entities whose primary objective is profit generation from their attention,’ Macron declared last month, highlighting the philosophical foundation of the legislative effort.
The legislation would empower France’s state media regulator to compile and maintain two distinct lists of digital platforms. The first would identify networks considered fundamentally harmful to youth, resulting in complete access prohibition for users under 15. A secondary catalog would feature platforms with reduced risk profiles, permitting access only with explicit parental authorization through a verified consent mechanism.
Additional provisions within the bill would extend existing mobile phone restrictions in junior and middle schools to include senior secondary institutions (lycées), creating a comprehensive educational environment free from digital distractions.
Political analysts note broad parliamentary support emerging across the ideological spectrum, with pro-Macron factions expected to join forces with center-right Republicans and the populist right-wing National Rally. This unusual coalition suggests strong bipartisan concern regarding youth digital welfare.
Implementation would require developing robust age-verification systems, potentially modeled after France’s existing framework for restricting access to online pornography, which mandates age confirmation for users over 18.
This French initiative reflects a broader European trend, with Denmark, Greece, Spain, and Ireland considering similar measures following Australia’s pioneering approach. The UK government has concurrently launched consultations regarding potential social media restrictions for users under 16.
The current legislation builds upon groundwork laid by deputy Laure Miller, who chaired a parliamentary investigation into TikTok and other platforms’ psychological impacts. The government accelerated its own legislative drafting after Macron identified youth digital protection as a priority for his final year in office.
Procedurally, the government has requested fast-track parliamentary consideration to navigate legislative delays caused by budget negotiations. Without this accelerated process, the bill would face significant obstacles in reaching implementation before the intended September deadline.
The legislation has undergone substantial revision to address concerns raised by the Council of State, France’s supreme court for administrative justice, which ensures compliance with national and European law. This careful drafting aims to avoid the fate of a 2023 proposal that was invalidated for violating European legal standards.