French parliamentary committee approves social media age restriction
A French parliamentary committee has approved a bill to ban social media access for users under 15. The government aims to implement the law before the September school term.
France has moved closer to restricting underage social media use as a parliamentary reconciliation committee approved a bill to ban users under 15 from accessing designated platforms. President Emmanuel Macron aims for the law to take effect before the start of the new school year in September, positioning France as an early European adopter of such measures.
The reconciled text will now face final parliamentary votes. If enacted, the legislation will mandate that social media platforms implement age verification systems approved by France's privacy regulator. The country's digital minister will also compile a list of platforms subject to the ban. Additionally, the bill proposes prohibiting smartphone use in high schools.
This action aligns with broader EU efforts, as the European Commission is preparing legislation to restrict children's access to social media across all 27 member states. An expert panel report previously recommended a minimum access age of 13 throughout the EU.
Evidence from Australia, which implemented a ban on social media for those under 16 in late 2025, indicates challenges. An early compliance report found that several major platforms failed to meet legal expectations, citing weak age-assurance systems and complex reporting processes that allow children to bypass safeguards.