France Aims to Ban Social Media for Those Under 15
The French government plans to ban social media for those under 15 years old starting from the 2026 school year, according to a legislative proposal reported by the national press.
This proposal, composed of two articles and set to be discussed in Parliament soon, aims to prohibit “the provision by an online platform of a social network service to a minor under the age of fifteen” beginning on September 1, 2026.
“Numerous studies and reports now confirm the various risks associated with excessive screen use by teenagers,” the Executive states in the document, mentioning specifically “exposure to inappropriate content,” “cyberbullying,” and “disruptions in sleep.”
The first article of the proposal falls under the framework of the law for trust in the digital economy (LCEN) and tasks Arcom, the French regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communication, with enforcing this ban.
The second article seeks to extend the existing prohibition of mobile phone usage in high schools. This restriction is already in place from preschool through middle school due to a law enacted in 2018.
French President Emmanuel Macron, who has made the ban on social media for children under 15 a priority, announced in early December that the proposal should be reviewed “as early as January.”
On December 19, Anne Le Hénanff, the Minister Delegate for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs, defended in an interview with the newspaper “Le Parisien” a “short” piece of legislation that is “compatible with European law,” particularly with the Digital Services Act (DSA).
