French MPs on Monday are set to vote on a new law that would block access to social media for children under the age of 15 and ban mobile phones in high schools, as part of efforts to better protect young people’s health.
If approved, the legislation would be enforced from the start of the new school year in September. The bill, sponsored by centrist MP Laure Miller, would introduce a nationwide ban on access to social media for children under the age of 15. The government is seeking to fast-track the legislation so it can take effect from the start of the next school year in September.
In a video message released over the weekend, Macron said: "The brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale. The emotions of our children and our teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated. Neither by American platforms, nor by Chinese algorithms."
He added: "We are banning social media for under-15s and we are going to ban mobile phones in our high schools. This is a clear rule for teenagers, for families and for teachers."
The legislation is being examined by the National Assembly and would then move to the Senate. The text has support from Macron’s Renaissance party, as well as backing from parts of the centre-right Republicans and the far-right National Rally.
What the law would change
The draft text states that "access to an online social networking service provided by an online platform is prohibited for minors under the age of 15". Online encyclopaedias and educational directories are excluded from the ban.
Earlier versions of the bill proposed creating a list of platforms considered harmful, while allowing access to others only with explicit parental authorisation. A government-backed amendment now establishes a general ban by default rather than targeting specific platforms.
The bill also introduces a ban on mobile phones in high schools. France has prohibited the use of mobile phones in middle schools since 2018.
Former prime minister Gabriel Attal said the government hopes the Senate will adopt the bill by mid-February. Under the proposed timeline, the ban would apply to new accounts from 1 September, while platforms would have until 31 December to deactivate existing accounts that do not comply with the age limit.
Age verification and enforcement
Authorities say an effective age-verification system will be required for the ban to be implemented.
Laure Miller has said that current platforms allow users to enter any date of birth without proof, and that the aim is to require real age checks in line with the European Union’s Digital Services Act.
Possible methods include identity document checks combined with a selfie, or age-estimation technology using facial analysis, similar to systems already used in France for access to adult websites.
The Ministry for Digital Affairs says age-verification tools must be "precise, reliable, robust, non-intrusive and non-discriminatory" and must transmit only strictly necessary data.
The government says the legislation has been drafted to comply with European Union law. A previous French law adopted in 2023 that sought to establish a "digital age of majority" at 15 was not implemented after legal concerns that it conflicted with EU rules.
France in a wider international context
France’s proposal follows Australia’s decision in December to ban social media for under-16s, the first nationwide measure of its kind.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said more than 4.7 million social media accounts identified as belonging to under-16s had been deactivated or removed following the introduction of the law.
Several European countries, including Denmark, Greece, Spain and Ireland, are examining similar measures. The United Kingdom has launched a consultation on restricting social media access for under-16s.
French public health watchdog ANSES says platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram present risks including cyberbullying, exposure to violent or sexual content, sleep disruption and lower self-esteem, particularly among girls. ANSES also says social media is not the sole factor in declining adolescent mental health.
Around nine in ten French teenagers aged 12 to 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet.
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