Paris — France’s National Assembly on Monday approved a bill that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from using social media. During the vote, 116 lawmakers supported the proposal, while 23 voted against it. The bill will now be sent to the Senate, the upper house of parliament.
President Emmanuel Macron strongly backed the initiative, noting that its goal is to protect young people from excessive screen time and the psychological impact of social networks. He called the vote “an important step” and emphasized that “our children’s brains are not a commodity for American or Chinese platforms.”
What does the bill propose?
Under the new rules:
- children under 15 will not be allowed to create social media accounts;
- teenagers aged 15 to 18 will only be able to register with official parental consent;
- social platforms will be required to strengthen age‑verification mechanisms.
These measures aim to improve online safety for young people and protect their psychological well‑being.
A leading step in Europe
France’s decision is viewed as an important part of broader European efforts to ensure children’s safety in the digital environment. Several EU countries are also considering similar restrictions.
Next steps
If the Senate approves the bill, France will become one of the countries with the strictest age limits on social media use. According to analysts, this move could mark the beginning of a new trend in global social media regulation.
