France has become the first European Union country to pass a blanket ban on social media access for children under 15, after both chambers of parliament approved the legislation on Tuesday. The National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81, following earlier approval by the Senate. President Emmanuel Macron, who championed the reform as a flagship initiative of his presidency, said France was "leading the way in Europe" in protecting children online and pledged to have the ban in force by September.

Under the law, children under 15 will be barred from creating new accounts on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat from 1 September. Existing accounts held by under-15s will be subject to closure from January 2027, after a four-month period in which platforms must verify users' ages. Digital minister Anne Le Hénanff said age-verification tools already exist and that the responsibility falls on the platforms themselves to enforce the rules — not on children or parents, who face no penalties under the legislation. The bill also extends France's existing mobile phone ban in primary schools and middle schools to high schools. Exceptions apply to online encyclopedias and educational or scientific platforms.

The legislation drew broad support but also notable criticism. Left-wing lawmakers, particularly from the radical-left France Unbowed party, argued that mandatory age verification would effectively end online anonymity, raised constitutional concerns, and warned of risks of circumvention given the speed of implementation. Socialist deputies said they would likely refer the bill to the Constitutional Council for review, which could delay the September timeline. The European Commission had also flagged potential overlap with the EU's Digital Services Act, prompting last-minute amendments before the final vote.

The push for the ban has been shaped by mounting evidence of social media's harm to young people. France's public health watchdog found that around 90% of 12-to-17-year-olds use smartphones daily to access the internet, with more than half using social networks — often for between two and five hours a day. The watchdog linked heavy use to reduced self-esteem and greater exposure to content associated with self-harm, eating disorders, drug use and suicide. Several French families have sued TikTok over teen suicides they attribute to harmful content.

France's move places it at the forefront of a global trend. In late 2024, Australia became the first country in the world to require major platforms to remove accounts held by users under 16, backed by fines of up to 50 million Australian dollars for non-compliance. Spain, Denmark and Greece have announced plans for similar restrictions, and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has called for graduated limits on children's access to social media across all 27 EU member states. With Macron set to leave office next year, the ban represents one of his last significant domestic policy achievements — and one that much of Europe will be watching closely.