France set to become first European country to ban social media for under-15s
French lawmakers are expected to approve a bill banning social media access for children under 15, a move that would make France the first European country to introduce such a measure. The bill, which was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate, is expected to be adopted by the National Assembly, according to reports from Dawn and France 24 — English.
The legislation is championed by President Emmanuel Macron as a flagship reform of his final term in office, and he has pledged to enforce it by September. The bill is expected to pass despite criticism from parties on the left, as reported by both outlets.
Coverage comparison
Coverage of the bill has focused on its expected passage and its significance for child online safety. Dawn highlighted that France is set to become the first European country to ban social media for children under 15, with an emphasis on protection of children online. France 24 — English echoed this framing, noting that the bill is expected to pass despite criticism from left-wing parties, and that President Macron has championed the law as a flagship reform of his final term.
RFI — English, however, centered its coverage on a warning from the European Commission. The Commission has formally stated that the French bill would infringe the European Union's online content law, the Digital Services Act (DSA). RFI reported that the Commission said the draft legislation overlaps with the DSA and that the opinion requires French lawmakers to revise the bill, even as the Commission welcomed efforts to better protect children online.
Key claims
French Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff was quoted by both Dawn and France 24 — English as saying: "France will become the first country in Europe to introduce a digital age limit to better protect our children online."
The ban is expected to be rolled out in two stages. Under-15s would be blocked from creating new social media accounts from September 1, and the ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027, according to the bill's text, as reported by France 24 — English and Dawn.
Le Henanff said ahead of the vote that the timeline was realistic because age-verification tools already exist and others are still in the works, with the onus on platforms to impose the rule. She also gave assurances that users' personal data would be protected.
Enforcing the measure by September would also ensure that another provision of the bill — a ban on mobile phones in high schools — takes effect at the beginning of the French school year.
France's public health watchdog last year said platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram were harmful to adolescents, particularly girls, according to France 24 — English, though it was not the sole reason for their declining mental health. Dawn reported that the watchdog described these platforms as detrimental to adolescents. The agency said that one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone, and in a December report, it said that some 90 percent of children aged between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet.
The European Commission, in a formal opinion reported by RFI — English, said the draft legislation overlaps with the EU's online content law. The opinion requires French lawmakers to revise the bill, even as the Commission welcomed efforts to better protect children online. "We fully share the objective of the French authorities: minors must be better protected online," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier told the AFP news agency, highlighting France's key role on the issue. The Commission's opinion aims to ensure that any national measure is effective and in line with EU law, minimizing fragmentation of national systems that may create legal uncertainty or weaken enforcement.
France's parliament is expected to approve the bill on Tuesday, with a vote in the National Assembly expected later in the day.