France Approves Social Media Ban for Under-15s Beginning in 2027

France has passed legislation that will prohibit children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms from January 2027, becoming the first European country to introduce such a nationwide restriction.

The law, approved by both the French Senate and the National Assembly on Tuesday, requires users to verify their age before opening or maintaining social media accounts. President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the move, fulfilling a pledge he had made before the end of his second term in office.

The rollout will take place in two phases. Beginning in September 2026, children under 15 will be barred from creating new social media accounts, while all new users will be required to complete age verification. From January 2027, the verification requirement will extend to existing accounts, meaning all social media users in France must prove they are at least 15 years old.

Under the legislation, platforms will be required to adopt age-verification systems approved by France’s data protection authority.

The law has sparked debate over privacy, the effectiveness of age-verification technology, and the possibility that young users may find ways to bypass the restrictions. Critics have also questioned the speed at which the legislation was drafted and approved.

French Digital Minister Anne Le Hénanff defended the timeline, arguing that the necessary age-verification technologies are already available and can be deployed safely.

France follows Australia, which introduced a ban on social media access for children under 16 in December. However, Australian authorities have acknowledged that many young people continue to use social media despite the restrictions.

Australia’s eSafety Commission reported in March that seven out of 10 children under 16 who had social media accounts before the ban still retained some level of access.

Professor Tama Leaver, an internet studies expert at Curtin University in Australia, said the Australian experience demonstrated that while enforcement has been challenging, it proved such legislation can be introduced. He added that involving young people in developing such policies would improve their effectiveness.

Leaver also suggested France’s approach may be more effective because it requires age verification for every user, although he warned that the system could raise additional privacy concerns. He further cautioned that restricting access could push teenagers toward less-regulated online spaces while reducing their exposure to news and civic engagement.

France’s move comes amid a broader push across Europe to tighten children’s access to social media.

In the United Kingdom, former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced plans in June to ban social media use by children under 16 from January 2027, alongside an optional midnight curfew for users aged 16 and 17.

At the European Union level, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has also proposed introducing a “social media delay” for children, with legislation expected to be considered in the coming months.