France is a step closer to introducing one of Europe’s strictest social media restrictions for children after a joint parliamentary committee approved legislation that would prohibit users under the age of 15 from accessing social networking platforms. The measure, backed by President Emmanuel Macron, is intended to take effect before the start of the new school year in September if it clears the remaining legislative steps.
The compromise bill was approved by a reconciliation committee after members of the National Assembly and the Senate resolved disagreements over the legislation’s final wording. Lawmakers had debated whether France should create a list of prohibited platforms or apply the restrictions more broadly to all social media services covered by the law. The committee ultimately supported a blanket approach, with implementation expected to rely on age-verification systems and oversight under the European Union’s Digital Services Act.
Under the proposal, social media companies would be required to prevent children under 15 from creating or using accounts unless they meet the legal requirements established by French authorities. Platforms would need to deploy age-verification mechanisms that comply with national privacy rules, while educational resources, online encyclopedias, and open-source software platforms would remain outside the scope of the restrictions.
The legislation forms part of a broader campaign by Macron to reduce children’s exposure to social media. The French president has repeatedly argued that online platforms contribute to cyberbullying, excessive screen time, and harmful content exposure among young users. He has also called for similar age restrictions to be considered across the European Union, an idea that has recently received support from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as discussions over child online safety continue.
France has already introduced several measures aimed at limiting children’s use of digital devices, including restrictions on smartphone use in schools. The latest proposal would extend those efforts by making social media platforms responsible for verifying users’ ages before granting access. The bill also reflects a wider international trend, with countries including Australia and the United Kingdom adopting or advancing comparable restrictions intended to reduce minors’ access to social media services.
Before the legislation can become law, it must receive final approval from both chambers of Parliament and complete the notification process required under EU law. If those steps are completed on schedule, France intends to have the restrictions in force by early September, making it one of the first European countries to implement a nationwide social media ban for children under the age of 15.