France to ban social media for under-15s, phones in high schools

France plans to prohibit children under 15 from accessing social media and to extend the ban on mobile phones to high schools starting September 2026, reflecting growing public concern over the online harms affecting minors.

President Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly cited social media as a factor contributing to youth violence and signaled his intent to follow Australia, which in December implemented a world-first ban for under-16s on platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube, Reuters reports.

Mobile phones have been banned in French primary and middle schools since 2018; the new rules would extend the restriction to high schools. France also passed a 2023 law requiring parental consent for under-15s to create social media accounts, though enforcement has been limited by technical challenges.

Macron told the press in June that he would advocate EU-level regulation to block social media access for under-15s, following a fatal school stabbing in eastern France. The European Parliament urged minimum age restrictions in November to curb rising adolescent mental health issues linked to online exposure.

Despite political turmoil following the 2024 parliamentary elections, the move could be popular: a 2024 Harris Interactive survey found 73% of respondents supported banning social media for children under 15.

By Vafa Guliyeva