PARIS — France is preparing to ban children from using social media platforms beginning in the 2026 academic year, as President Emmanuel Macron pushes to follow Australia’s world-first restrictions on minors’ access to online platforms.
A draft bill prohibiting children under 15 from using social media is expected to be submitted to the Conseil d’État for legal review in the coming days and could be debated in parliament early next year, according to reports by Le Monde and France Info. The government aims for the ban to take effect in September 2026.
The proposed legislation mirrors Australia’s recent move to bar under-16s from social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, which came into force in December. In France, the draft bill includes two key provisions: a nationwide ban on social media use for under-15s and a prohibition on mobile phones in high schools attended by students aged 15 to 18. Mobile phones are already banned in French primary and middle schools.
President Macron has repeatedly signaled his support for swift action, saying in recent weeks that momentum is building internationally following Australia’s decision. Speaking earlier this month at a public debate in Saint-Malo, Macron said excessive screen time was linked to declining academic performance and rising mental health problems among young people.
“The more screen time there is, the more school achievement drops … the more screen time there is, the more mental health problems go up,” Macron said. He likened unrestricted access to social media to allowing a child to drive a Formula One car without proper training.
The draft bill, cited by Le Monde, points to the “risks of excessive screen use by teenagers,” including exposure to inappropriate content, online bullying, and disrupted sleep patterns. It stresses the need to “protect future generations” from digital risks that threaten social cohesion and shared values.
Education unions are expected to review the proposed high school phone ban, while legal scrutiny by the Conseil d’État will assess the bill’s compatibility with French and European law.
Anne Le Hénanff, France’s minister responsible for digital development and artificial intelligence, said earlier this month that restricting social media access for under-15s is a government priority. She told Le Parisien that the bill would be “short and compatible with European law,” particularly the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), which targets hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation online.
France’s move comes amid broader international discussions on limiting children’s exposure to social media. Denmark and Norway are considering similar bans, while Malaysia has announced plans to restrict social media use for under-16s starting in 2026. In the United Kingdom, the Labour government has said it has not ruled out a ban, stressing that any decision must be based on robust evidence.
The proposed legislation also follows growing concern in France over the psychological effects of social media on children. A parliamentary inquiry into TikTok, released in September, described the platform as a “slow poison” for young users. The report warned that algorithm-driven content exposed children to an “ocean of harmful material.” TikTok has rejected the findings, saying it is being unfairly blamed for broader industry and societal challenges.
The parliamentary report recommended a complete ban on social media for children under 15 and proposed a night-time “digital curfew” for those aged 15 to 18, restricting access between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. The inquiry was launched after a 2024 lawsuit filed by seven French families accusing TikTok of exposing their children to content linked to self-harm and suicide.
The social media ban forms part of Macron’s broader policy push as he enters the final and politically challenging year of his presidency, with a divided parliament and unresolved budget negotiations for 2026 still looming.
Edgardo Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
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