France becomes first European Union country to ban social media for kids under 15 - CBS News

What the report says

CBS News reports that France has become the first European Union member state to approve a nationwide social media ban for children under 15. The measure passed parliament by 279 votes to 81 and is backed by President Emmanuel Macron, who said France was taking a leading role in protecting children and teenagers online.

Under the legislation cited by CBS News, children under 15 will be barred from opening new accounts on platforms such as TikTok and Snapchat from September, while existing accounts are due to be blocked from January 2027. The law also requires social media companies to introduce age-verification checks and will extend France’s phone restrictions by banning students from having phones in high schools from next year. Phone use was already prohibited in elementary and middle schools.

CBS News notes that the policy follows findings from France’s public health watchdog that social media can harm teenagers’ mental health, with particular concern for girls. The law includes exemptions for educational platforms and online encyclopedias. It also fits Macron’s broader push for “digital sovereignty,” a policy approach aimed at reducing Europe’s reliance on major U.S. and Chinese technology firms while tightening regulation of digital platforms.

The measure is likely to face scrutiny over enforcement and privacy. Critics cited by CBS News warn that teenagers may evade age checks through VPNs, false birth dates or accounts created by others, while stronger verification could require users to provide sensitive personal information. France follows Australia, which introduced a similar under-16 ban, and other governments are considering comparable restrictions.