France first European country to ban social media access for under-15s
6 hours ago
- France's parliament approved a bill banning social media access for children under 15, making it the first EU country to do so.
- President Emmanuel Macron championed the ban as a key reform of his final term, with enforcement pledged by September.
- The ban will be introduced in two stages: blocking new accounts for under-15s from September 1, and applying to existing accounts from January 2027.
- Digital minister Anne Le Hénanff said age-verification tools already exist and platforms are responsible for enforcing the rule.
- The bill also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools, effective from the start of the French school year.
- The European Commission is considering similar measures and has unveiled an age verification app tested by member states.
- Australia became the first country to require removal of under-16 accounts from major platforms last December, and France is one of 20 countries with such measures.