France to become first EU country to ban social media for children under 15

France’s parliament is set to give final approval on July 21 to a law banning children under the age of 15 from using social media.

According to a report by the European Bureau, the parliament’s joint committee approved a compromise version of the bill the previous day, paving the way for its final adoption.

The vote on the bill is scheduled for midday. If approved, France will become the first EU country to introduce such a ban at the national level.

The new law will prohibit children under 15 from creating social media accounts and will require platforms to block existing accounts belonging to minors in this age group. The ban on new registrations will take effect on Sept. 1, while the deactivation of existing accounts will begin in January 2027. However, the restrictions will not apply to educational platforms or online encyclopedias.

French President Emmanuel Macron has made the legislation one of the key initiatives of his second term. The bill also includes a ban on the use of mobile phones in secondary schools.

During discussions, lawmakers proposed different approaches for individual platforms. However, the final version of the legislation is stricter and bans all social media platforms without exception.