French lawmakers adopt social media ban for kids under 15
French lawmakers have adopted a bill prohibiting minors under 15 years old from accessing social media.
French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the bill's passage in a social media post Tuesday, shortly after it received approval by both chambers of Parliament, saying it was now up to the Constitutional Council, which reviews the constitutionality of legislation, to rule on the measure.
The bill, the first of its kind within the European Union, also enforces a ban on cellphones in secondary schools.
The legislation, which was submitted in the National Assembly last November and has been steadily working its way through the Senate over the past six months, makes an exception for "online encyclopedias, educational or scientific directories, or platforms for the development and sharing of free software or open-source educational digital projects."
If the bill is greenlit by the Constitutional Council, the ban will take effect starting in September 2026.
Some left-wing lawmakers have questioned the measure's constitutionality and the government's ability to actually enforce the ban, among other things.
France Unbowed lawmaker Arnaud Saint-Martin said in a statement following the bill's passage that while young people may be "exposed to dangerous content" online, "they also find ways to access information and empower themselves, opening new horizons in the face of racism, sexism, homophobia, and the climate crisis that weighs heavily on their conscience."
He added, "If you truly care about their mental health, fight against these scourges, support them in their use of digital technology -- in short, take action as legislators concerned with the common good, and not as a disciplinarian of the digital world using a smokescreen law."
Macron, by contrast, hailed the measure as "a major step forward" for the country.
"France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and teenagers," he said in a video shared online.
The measure aligns with a broader global trend of governments taking action to disengage children from screens.
Australia recently enacted a social media ban for children under 16, which went into effect in December 2025.
Lawmakers in Denmark also proposed a social media ban for children under 15 last year.
In the United States, the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second largest school district in the country, recently adopted new guidelines limiting screen time for its students on district-issued devices, following a previously passed district cell phone ban.
Under the new LAUSD guidelines, screen time is banned entirely for students in early education, kindergarten, and first grade, and limited for students in grades two and up, with phased implementation beginning in August.
