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France leads the way in Europe: social media banned for under-15s and a ban on mobile phones in secondary schools

The French Parliament has passed an innovative law restricting young people’s access to digital content, with the aim of protecting their health and safety online.

21 July 2026

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2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The French Parliament has adopted legislation introducing a ban on the use of social media by children under the age of 15, making France the first EU country to approve a blanket ban on such platforms amid growing global concern about the effects of digital content on children.

Both Houses of Parliament voted in favour of the measure today.

The law also prohibits the use of mobile phones in secondary schools.

For French President Emmanuel Macron, this is a flagship initiative of his second term in office.

This is one of the latest significant measures adopted during his presidency before he steps down next year. Macron wants the law to come into force at the start of the new school year in September.

It is, however, likely that a review will be carried out to determine whether the bill is in accordance with the French Constitution, which could delay its implementation.

Following the Senate’s vote (with 243 votes in favour and 2 against) this afternoon, the National Assembly approved the reform, with 279 votes in favour and 81 against. This reform, promised by Emmanuel Macron and a flagship measure of his final term in office, will oblige platforms to adopt age verification systems, a much-debated issue.

Ban on certain social media platforms for under-15s; which ones?

The final text consists of several articles. The first, which is the most significant, stipulates that “access to an online social networking service provided by an online platform is prohibited to children under the age of 15”.

This ban does not apply to ‘online encyclopaedias’, such as Wikipedia, or to other services such as ‘platforms for the development and sharing of free software or open-source digital educational projects’.

As things stand, the text does not provide for a verification method: it is up to platforms such as Facebook and TikTok to define it.

The bill extends the ban on mobile phone use to include secondary schools, thus going beyond primary and lower secondary schools. However, exceptions may be provided for in the schools’ internal regulations.

The government now wants to move quickly so that the proposed law can be implemented as early as September for new social media accounts and, “after a four-month grace period”, i.e. until early January 2027, for those created before that date.

Macron: significant progress

Emmanuel Macron has welcomed the French parliament’s final adoption of the bill to ban social media for children under the age of 15. ’’

“A major step forward,” commented the president, emphasising that “France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and teenagers. Let’s keep it up.”

These remarks were made at the end of a video posted on social media, which looks back on Macron’s long battle to ensure that this major reform of his second term at the Élysée Palace could become a reality. The video also features a comprehensive round-up of content deemed harmful to minors and others.

“I had committed to doing this and now the measure has been approved,” writes the president, in a message of thanks to all the MPs who passed the bill.