Latest news French parliament backs social media ban for under 15s
The French National Assembly has voted in favor of a ban on the use of social networks by children and young people under the age of 15.
27.01.2026, 03:52
SDA
The MPs in Paris adopted a corresponding bill on Monday evening. It stipulates that "access to an online service provided by an online platform for a social network" is prohibited for minors under the age of 15. The text still has to be voted on in the Senate, the other chamber of parliament.
The adopted wording leaves open which social media would be specifically affected by the ban. It merely clarifies that "online encyclopaedias" and "educational or scientific directories" are to be exempt. Private messenger services are also not to be affected.
Original legislative proposal did not envisage a complete ban
The original text that MEPs debated did not go as far: it stipulated that certain sites could have continued to be used with parental permission. This is no longer the case.
The bill was supported in the National Assembly primarily by the camp of French President Emmanuel Macron. After the vote, Macron announced on the X platform: "This is what scientists are recommending and this is what the French are demanding by a large majority."
The head of state wants the regulation to take effect as early as the next school year. "From September 1st, our children and young people will finally be protected. I will make sure of that," wrote Macron.
EU law led to problems with previous law
A few years ago, France had already tried to introduce a minimum age of 15 for young people to create their own accounts on social networks without their parents' permission. However, the law could not be applied due to the European legal situation. It remains to be seen whether the new rules will stand up to current EU law.
Last year, the European Parliament voted by a clear majority in favor of an EU-wide minimum age requirement. However, the adopted report is not yet binding.
If the law is finally passed in France, Germany's neighbor would be one of the first countries to introduce such restrictive regulations for minors. In Australia, children and young people under the age of 16 have recently been banned from having their own social media accounts on many major platforms. In the UK, the House of Lords also voted last week in favor of a social media ban for under-16s, which now has to be passed by the House of Commons, which is dominated by the governing Labour Party. In Denmark, the government agreed with the opposition to introduce a national age limit of 15 for access to certain social media.
And there is also a debate in Germany about whether access to social media should be restricted for children.
