First in EU: France bans social media for teens
What's the story
France has become the first European Union (EU) country to ban social media access for children under 15. The move, which affects popular platforms like TikTok, was approved by the French Parliament and is part of President Emmanuel Macron's key reforms for his final term in office. The National Assembly passed the bill by 279 to 81, and the Senate had already approved the legislation.
Presidential support
Macron calls it a major step forward
President Macron has been a strong proponent of this ban, calling it "a major step forward."
He expressed gratitude to the members of Parliament for their support and stressed on making this measure a reality by September.
The legislation will be enforced in two phases: first, preventing under-15s from creating new accounts starting September 1; second, blocking access to existing accounts from January 2027.
Implementation
Age-verification tools already in place
Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff assured that the timeline for implementing this ban is realistic as age-verification tools are already in place and more are being developed.
She emphasized that it's up to the platforms to enforce this rule.
"For four months, all of us in France will have to prove our age," she told journalists, adding that if someone is under 15, their account will be closed.
Ban exceptions
Exceptions for educational sites
The blanket ban has drawn some criticism over the age verification process, speed of implementation, risks of circumvention, and privacy concerns. However, it does provide exceptions for sites like online encyclopedias and educational platforms. Notably, there are no penalties prescribed for children/parents under this legislation.
International impact
Australia 1st country to impose such ban
France's move comes amid a global trend of countries considering or implementing similar social media restrictions for minors.
Australia, for instance, became the first country in the world to make it mandatory for platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Snapchat to delete accounts held by under-16s or face heavy fines.
The European Commission has also been considering a social media ban after requests from member states including France, Greece and Spain.