France passes law banning social media for children under 15

Published Jul 23, 03:53 AM UTC

France has become the first European Union nation to legislate a blanket ban on social media access for children under 15, following Australia's lead. The law, approved by the French National Assembly (279-81) and Senate, will roll out in two phases overseen by regulator Arcom. From September 2026, age verification will block new under-15 accounts; by January 2027, existing accounts must be closed. The ban excludes educational resources, prohibits advertising targeting children, and extends to mobile phones in high schools. President Macron stated 'The brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale.' The legislation responds to concerns over pornography, cyberbullying, and algorithmic harm, with Arcom reporting children aged 12-17 spend 81 minutes daily on TikTok. Several French families have ongoing lawsuits against TikTok alleging harmful content contributed to suicides. Other countries including Austria, Spain, Brazil, and the UK are considering similar restrictions, ahead of expected EU-wide measures.