French legislators have approved groundbreaking legislation that would establish one of the world’s most comprehensive digital protection frameworks for minors, prohibiting social media platform access for children under 15 years old. The National Assembly endorsed the measure with an overwhelming majority of 130-21 votes during an extended parliamentary session spanning Monday into Tuesday.
President Emmanuel Macron celebrated this legislative achievement as a pivotal advancement in safeguarding French youth, declaring on social media platform X that the nation is taking decisive action against the potential manipulation of children’s emotions by foreign algorithms and platforms. The proposed law additionally reinforces existing restrictions on mobile phone usage within high school environments.
This initiative positions France to become the second nation implementing such comprehensive age-based social media restrictions, following Australia’s similar prohibition for users under 16 enacted in December. The legislation emerges amid growing scientific consensus regarding the detrimental effects of excessive screen time on adolescent psychological development and mental wellness.
The proposed implementation timeline specifies that new accounts would fall under these regulations beginning with the 2026 academic year. Gabriel Attal, leader of Macron’s Renaissance party, expressed optimism that the Senate will ratify the bill by mid-February, potentially enabling enforcement commencement on September 1st. Social media corporations would subsequently have until December 31st to deactivate non-compliant existing accounts belonging to underage users.
Attal emphasized the measure’s dual purpose: addressing mental health concerns associated with digital platform engagement while countering external influences that seek to ‘colonize minds’ through social media. He characterized this legislation as potentially transformative for French youth and families while enhancing national sovereignty in the digital realm.
Recent findings from France’s public health authority ANSES substantiate these concerns, documenting multiple adverse effects—particularly among female adolescents—linked to platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram. Identified risks encompass cyberbullying incidents and exposure to violent content.
The legislative text explicitly prohibits ‘access to online social networking services provided by digital platforms for minors under fifteen,’ while exempting educational websites and online encyclopedias. Effective implementation hinges upon developing robust age verification mechanisms, currently under development at the European level.
Despite broad parliamentary support, the proposal faces criticism from both political and advocacy spheres. Left-wing politicians decry the approach as ‘digital paternalism,’ while child protection organizations advocate for enhanced platform accountability rather than outright access prohibition. The legislation now advances to Senate deliberation for final approval.