France has approved a law banning social media access for individuals under the age of 15, making it the first European country to enact such a restriction. The legislation, which will require age verification for all social media users, is scheduled to be implemented in two phases. Starting in September, individuals under 15 will be prohibited from opening new accounts, and age verification will be mandatory for all new account creations. By January 2027, this rule will extend to existing accounts, requiring everyone in France to prove they are over 15 to use social media platforms.
French President Emmanuel Macron has endorsed the ban, which he had previously pledged to introduce. The government asserts that effective and secure online tools are available for age verification, despite some skepticism regarding the law's enforceability. The French Senate and National Assembly both passed the measure on Tuesday.
Under the new law, social media platforms will be required to utilize age-verification tools approved by the French privacy regulator. Concerns have been raised about privacy implications, the effectiveness of these verification tools, the potential for young people to circumvent them, and the rapid timeline for the ban's implementation. However, French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff defended the speed, stating that age-verification tools are already in existence.
France's move follows Australia, which banned social media for under-16s in December. However, reports indicate that many Australian children continue to access these platforms. A study by Australia's eSafety Commission found that seven out of 10 children under 16 who had social media accounts before the ban still had some access. Professor Tama Leaver of Curtin University described the Australian ban as an experiment that has technically fallen short but demonstrated that such a ban is feasible. He suggested that involving young people in the conversation is crucial for future implementations.
Leaver indicated that France's ban might have a greater chance of success due to the universal age verification requirement, though this also heightens privacy risks. Potential downsides identified include pushing youth into less regulated online spaces and reducing their access to news and political engagement.
Legislation to restrict young people's access to social media has been a growing trend in Europe. In June, former British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced plans to ban social media for under-16s in the UK from January 2027, alongside a voluntary midnight curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds. In May, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a "social media delay" for children across Europe, indicating that new legislation could be forthcoming.