French lawmakers were set to vote on proposed legislation on Monday that would ban access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15, a move strongly backed by President Emmanuel Macron as part of efforts to curb excessive screen time and protect minors’ mental health.
The draft law, introduced by centrist lawmakers, also includes provisions to ban mobile phones in high schools. It follows a similar step taken by Australia in December, when it became the first country in the world to prohibit social media use for under-16s.
Concerns over the impact of prolonged screen time on children have intensified globally, with studies and policymakers warning that excessive use of social media may hinder child development and contribute to declining mental health among minors.
In a video message broadcast on Saturday, Macron said the legislation was aimed at shielding young people from exploitation by powerful tech platforms. “The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms,” he said.
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Debate on the bill was scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm (1500 GMT) in the National Assembly. Barring unexpected opposition, the legislation is expected to pass the lower house before being forwarded to the Senate for consideration.
The government is pushing for swift adoption. If approved, the measures would take effect from the start of the 2026 school year, initially applying to new social media accounts.
Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, now leader of President Macron’s Renaissance party lawmakers in the National Assembly, said he expects the Senate to pass the bill by mid-February.
“That would mean the law could be adopted within a month, with the ban coming into force for new accounts on September 1,” Attal said. He added that social media platforms would have until December 31 to deactivate existing accounts that fail to meet the new age requirements.
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