France Bans Social Media for Under-15s

France is set to become the first European Union country to ban social media use for children under 15 following decisive votes in both the National Assembly and Senate. Backed by President Emmanuel Macron, the landmark legislation aims to protect minors from harmful online content by officially setting the nation’s “digital age of majority” at 15. Pending final approval from the Constitutional Council, the government plans to enforce the ban for all new accounts starting September 1, 2026. Social media platforms will be granted a four-month transition period to address existing underage users. By January 1, 2027, all current accounts will be required to undergo a strict age verification process to fully comply with the new law.