France Becomes First EU Country to Ban Social Media for Children Under 15

Historic Legislation Passed

France banned children under 15 from using social media on Tuesday, becoming the first country in the European Union to pass a blanket ban on the platforms as concerns grow worldwide over the harmful effects of digital content on kids. Both chambers of the Parliament voted in favor of the measure, a flagship initiative of French President Emmanuel Macron's second term.

Scope and Implementation

The bill also bans the use of mobile phones in high schools. Members of the National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81. President Emmanuel Macron has championed the ban as a flagship reform of his final term in office and pledged to enforce it by September. However, a review to determine whether the bill complies with the French Constitution is likely to take place and could delay its implementation.

Motivation: Protecting Children from Harm

Several families in France have sued TikTok over teen suicides they say are linked to harmful content. Parents and advocates have raised concerns about social media's addictive design. "We've been campaigning for this bill from the start because, frankly, we have no other option, no other way to counter tech giants," said Gaëlle Berbonde, a 52-year-old who lives in the Paris region. "The only thing we can do is protect our children, just as we protect our children from drinking alcohol." Berbonde told The Associated Press that her daughter was in seventh grade when she got her first smartphone.

Global Context

In 2024, Australia became the first country to kick kids under 16 off social media. The law makes platforms — including TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram — liable for fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars ($35 million) if they fail to prevent children younger than 16 from holding accounts. In Europe, Spain's prime minister Pedro Sánchez announced in February that the country wants to limit social media access for children under 16.