France is set to make a fresh attempt to ban the use of social media by children under the age of 15, following Australia’s world-first restrictions on minors.
Local media reports on Wednesday said the French government has drafted a new law, backed by President Emmanuel Macron, which would prohibit major social media platforms from offering services to users under 15, with implementation possibly from September 2026.
According to AFP, the draft legislation cites studies linking excessive screen time to risks such as exposure to inappropriate content, cyberbullying and other online harms. The proposal would also extend the existing ban on mobile phone use to high schools.
French media reported that the bill could be submitted for legal scrutiny in early January.
France had previously attempted to introduce a “digital legal age” of 15 in 2023, but the initiative stalled after the European Commission raised concerns about potential conflicts with European Union digital regulations.
Public support for stricter controls has grown. An Ipsos poll published in September showed that four in five French residents support banning social media for children under 14.
The move aligns France with a growing global push to protect minors online. Australia’s law, which took effect on December 10, bans social media accounts for users under 16, with fines of up to A$49.5 million for platforms that fail to comply.
Other countries, including Germany and Malaysia, are also considering or implementing similar age-based restrictions.
Leave a Reply