France is set to become the first country in the European Union to deny children under the age of 15 access to social media. The French parliament has approved a bill that requires platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat to verify users’ ages and block accounts belonging to young people under the age of 15. According to President Emmanuel Macron, the measure is intended to help better protect children from the negative effects of social media and is in line with a wider European debate on the online safety of minors.
Before the law comes into force, it must still be approved by the French Constitutional Council. Following approval by the Senate, the National Assembly also passed the bill. If the final legal review is favourable, children under the age of fifteen will no longer be permitted to create new accounts on social media platforms from 1 September 2026. For existing accounts, a transition period will apply until January 2027, after which these must also be closed.
Age verification
According to Minister for Digital Affairs Anne Le Hénanff, this timetable is feasible because age verification technologies are already available or are at an advanced stage of development. The responsibility for verification will explicitly lie with the social media platforms. All users in France will be required to prove their age. If it transpires that a user is under the age of fifteen, their account must be closed. The French government emphasises that age verification must be carried out in a manner that safeguards personal data.
In other countries too, including the Netherlands, there has been speculation and research for some time now regarding the introduction of a minimum age for social media use. Particular attention is being paid to the negative effects of (excessive) social media use on young people’s mental health. In addition, there are initiatives in the Netherlands, such as SoMe?, aimed at encouraging young people to use social media more sensibly. Another aspect that plays a significant role is the fact that a great deal of misleading information about (mental) health is also being disseminated via channels on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.
Concerns about the impact on mental health
The French law follows growing concerns about the impact of social media on young people’s mental health. Last year, the French health authorities concluded that platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram can have harmful effects on adolescents, particularly girls. Although social media is not seen as the sole cause of mental health problems among young people, policymakers regard stricter regulation as an important part of the solution.
During parliamentary debate, there was further discussion about the form the law should take. The Senate initially proposed banning only those platforms deemed harmful, whilst other services would remain accessible with parental consent. Ultimately, the National Assembly opted for a general ban on social media for young people under the age of fifteen.
However, educational websites and online encyclopaedias remain outside the scope of the law. Nor does the legislation provide for sanctions against children or their parents; the obligation lies entirely with the platform providers.
European debate gains new momentum
With this decision, France is anticipating potential European legislation. The European Commission has been exploring ways to restrict minors’ access to social media for some time. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen recently spoke out in favour of gradual and age-dependent access to social media. In addition, the European Commission, together with various Member States, including France, is testing a European age verification application.
Outside Europe, too, there is growing interest in stricter regulation. Late last year, Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a legal obligation for major social media platforms to remove accounts belonging to users under the age of sixteen, subject to heavy fines.
The French law gives new impetus to the debate on the balance between digital safety, privacy and young people’s online freedom. The way in which France implements age verification and enforcement in practice is likely to be closely monitored by other European countries considering similar measures
