France is set to become the first European Union country to bar children under 15 from accessing social media after lawmakers reached a compromise on the proposed legislation.
The French Parliament is expected to approve the measure on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, following an agreement between the Senate and the National Assembly.
Under the proposed law, platforms would be required to block under-15s from opening new accounts from September 1, 2026. Existing accounts belonging to children below the age threshold would be suspended from January 2027.
Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff said the legislation would establish France as the first EU member state to set a statutory minimum age of 15 for social media use.
President Emmanuel Macron has backed the measure as one of the major reforms of the final phase of his presidency, which ends in April 2027.
The move follows growing concerns over the impact of social media on young people, particularly the mental health of adolescents. French health authorities have warned of risks associated with platforms including TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram, with teenage girls considered especially vulnerable.
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The final agreement followed differences between the two chambers. The Senate had favoured a system combining parental consent with restrictions on platforms considered particularly harmful, while the National Assembly backed a blanket ban for all under-15s.
The broader restriction was retained in the final compromise. Educational websites and online encyclopaedias are expected to be exempt.
Age-verification technology will be central to enforcement, as France moves to tighten protections for children online.
The initiative comes as the European Union considers stronger bloc-wide safeguards for minors. France, Greece and Spain have called for tougher measures, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has backed a more gradual approach to children’s access to social media.
The move follows Australia’s decision to restrict major social media platforms from allowing users under 16 to maintain accounts.
If approved and implemented as planned, the French law could become one of Macron’s final major domestic reforms before he leaves office in April 2027.