French parliament backs social media ban for under-15s

On Tuesday, France’s parliament is set to vote in favor of a law prohibiting access to social media for minors younger than 15 years old, which will make France the first European country to prohibit access to platforms like TikTok for children.

President Emmanuel Macron has advocated the law as a key piece of legislation that he will implement during his last period in office.

In Tuesday’s vote, the bill received unanimous support from the Senate, with 243 voting for it and two voting against it.

The proposed legislation was set to be voted into law by the National Assembly on Tuesday evening, barring any unexpected development.

More countries are becoming increasingly interested in prohibiting social media access due to increasing concerns about its negative impacts on children.

“France is going to be the first European country to adopt a digital age limit, to better protect our children online,” said French Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff on X.

The ban would be implemented in phases, with those below 15 years not being able to open accounts starting September 1. However, the ban would begin for the existing accounts starting January 2027, as per the passage.

Le Henanff explained ahead of the vote that the timing was “realistic” because age verification technology was already in place and other forms of the technology were still in development, with the burden of implementation lying with the platforms.

“All of us in France will have four months to prove our age,” she told the media.

“In case anyone under 15 years has an account, then the account will be suspended.” The minister also assured the people that their personal information would be safeguarded.

Implementation of the ban starting September would also help with the implementation of another part of the legislation, which prohibits the use of mobile phones in high schools.