France Approves EU-First Social Media Ban for Under-15s

France’s parliament has approved a ban on social media access for children under 15, making it the first EU country to adopt an age limit for platforms such as TikTok.

The Senate supported the legislation by 243 votes to two on July 21, before the National Assembly approved it by 279 votes to 81. The bill must now be reviewed by France’s Constitutional Council.

The bill will be implemented in two stages, with children under 15 blocked from making new social media accounts from September 1, 2026, as this marks the beginning of the French school year. Platforms will then be required to identify and close existing accounts belonging to under-15s from January 2027.

Social media companies will be responsible for implementing age verification, meaning users across France will need to prove that they are over 15. Anne Le Hénanff, the Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs, said suitable tools were already available and assured that the public’s personal data would be protected.

The legislation provides exemptions for services such as educational platforms. Children and parents will also not face penalties for attempts to circumvent the new restrictions.

President Emmanuel Macron described the vote in a video as a “major step forward” for protecting children and teenagers online. However, some in parliament raised concerns about privacy, the implementation timetable, and the potential for users to bypass age checks.

France’s implementation could influence similar proposals elsewhere in the EU as the bloc considers its own measures on restricting children’s social media access. Jurisdictions around the world have introduced age restrictions for social media access, with Australia being the first country to do so in December 2025.