France passes law banning under-15s from social media, requiring age verification

France has enacted a new law prohibiting children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms, making it the first European Union country to implement such a blanket ban. Lawmakers approved the measure on July 21, 2026, with President Emmanuel Macron championing the initiative to safeguard youth from the detrimental effects of digital content. The legislation mandates age verification systems for social media companies.

The ban is slated for a two-stage rollout: under-15s will be blocked from creating new accounts starting September 1, while existing accounts for this age group must be closed by January 2027. Exceptions are provided for educational platforms and online encyclopedias. This move comes amid growing global concerns regarding social media's impact on children's mental health, with France citing issues such as addiction, exposure to harmful content, and links to self-harm and depression. The new law also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools.

The French initiative has sparked international discussion, with other nations like Australia having already implemented similar restrictions for those under 16, and countries such as the UK, Denmark, and Canada exploring comparable measures. While the European Commission is also developing a unified age verification system and considering broader regulations for minors across the bloc, France's law is currently subject to a review by the Constitutional Council, which could potentially impact its planned September implementation.