France is planning to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, with President Emmanuel Macron backing new restrictions set to take effect from September 2026.
According to reports from Le Monde, the French government is preparing draft legislation that would block under-15s from accessing social media platforms and extend existing mobile phone bans to high schools.
The move reflects growing concern in France over the impact of social media on young people, particularly around violence and online harms. Macron has repeatedly argued that social platforms play a role in encouraging violent behavior among minors.
Mobile phones have been banned in French primary and middle schools since 2018. The reported changes would expand that policy to high schools, affecting students aged 15 to 18. In France’s education system, middle schools cover pupils aged 11 to 15.
The government is expected to submit the proposed legislation for legal checks in early January, according to French media. Macron did not directly reference the plans during his New Year’s Eve address, but said France must “protect our children and teenagers from social media and screens.”
The Elysee Palace and the prime minister’s office declined to comment on the reports, Reuters said.
France has already attempted to regulate minors’ access to social platforms. A 2023 law required parental consent for children under 15 to create social media accounts.
Macron has also pushed for action at the European level. In June, following a fatal school stabbing in eastern France, he said he would seek European Union-wide rules banning social media access for under-15s. In November, the European Parliament urged the EU to consider minimum age limits to address rising mental health concerns among adolescents, although age restrictions remain a national decision.
The French president has previously pointed to Australia, which introduced a ban on under-16s using major social media platforms in December.
