On 26 January 2026, the French National Assembly approved a bill prohibiting children and teenagers under the age of 15 from using social media. The bill was supported by an overwhelming majority of votes.
According to the text of the bill, access to online social networking services (including ‘social features’ within other platforms) will be prohibited for minors under the age of 15. Platforms will have to implement age verification mechanisms that comply with European Union standards.
The law also prohibits the use of mobile phones by high school students.
France will become the second country in the world to introduce such a strict age limit on social networks, after Australia, where a ban on children under the age of 16 will come into force in 2025–2026.
The bill must now be approved by the Senate, after which it will return to the National Assembly for a final vote. If the bill is passed in the coming months, new social media accounts for teenagers under the age of 15 could be closed as early as 1 September 2026, with existing accounts being closed within a few months thereafter.
The measure is expected to affect popular platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube (in terms of social features) and others.
Experts and French authorities explain the initiative by citing growing risks: cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, addiction, deterioration of mental health and impact on academic performance. According to the French National Health Authority, excessive use of social media is already having a noticeable negative impact on teenagers.