French Parliament Approves Bill to Ban Social Media for Children Under 15

sajadi Editor : Widi - Tuesday, 27 January 2026 - 16:05 WIB

Tuesday, 27 January 2026 - 16:05 WIB

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Paris, MINA – The lower house of the French Parliament has approved a bill seeking to ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms, amid growing concerns over online bullying, mental health risks, and the impact of digital platforms on minors, according to Al Jazeera.

The National Assembly passed the bill late Monday night by a vote of 130 to 21. The proposed legislation will now be reviewed by the French Senate before returning to the lower house for a final vote.

President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the vote, describing it as a “major step” toward protecting children and teenagers. In a post on X, Macron said social media platforms contribute to rising violence among young people and pose serious risks to their emotional well-being.

“The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms,” Macron said in a video broadcast over the weekend. He added that he wants the ban to take effect by the start of the next academic year in September.

Centrist lawmaker Laure Miller, who introduced the bill, said the legislation establishes a clear societal boundary by recognizing that social media is not harmless. She warned that excessive use of social media has led children to read less, sleep less, and compare themselves more frequently with others.

Gabriel Attal, former prime minister and current leader of Macron’s Renaissance party in the National Assembly, said social media companies would have until December 31 to deactivate accounts that do not comply with the new age requirements.

Under the proposed law, platforms would be required to implement age-verification mechanisms that comply with European Union regulations. The bill has received cross-party support, including from far-right lawmaker Thierry Perez, who described excessive social media use as a “health emergency” for children.

If approved by the Senate, France would become the second country after Australia to impose a nationwide ban on social media access for young teenagers. Australia barred children under 16 from platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube in December.

Several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Spain, and Greece, are also considering similar restrictions. The European Parliament has urged member states to set minimum age requirements for social media access, although enforcement remains a challenge.

The French legislation also expands an existing ban on smartphones in junior and middle schools to include high schools.

A Harris Interactive survey conducted in 2024 found that 73 percent of the French public supported a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)