France became the first European nation to ban social media for children under 15. President Emmanuel Macron championed the legislation to protect minors from digital harm and excessive screen time.
Platforms must block new accounts for users under 15 starting September 1, 2026. The mandate extends to all existing accounts by January 2027.
Social media companies must implement age-verification systems approved by France's privacy regulator. The bill also prohibits mobile phone use in high schools.
This legislation follows a similar ban enacted by Australia for users under 16. The European Commission is currently considering broader regulations for protecting young people online.