France plans to ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms and prohibit the use of mobile phones in high schools from September 2026, according to local media reports.
President Emmanuel Macron’s government is expected to submit draft legislation for legal review in early January, Le Monde and France Info reported. Macron has repeatedly cited social media as a contributing factor to youth violence and online harm.
France would follow Australia, which introduced a world-first ban on social media access for under-16s in December. Macron has previously called for similar restrictions to be adopted across the European Union.
Mobile phones have been banned in French primary and middle schools since 2018. The proposed changes would extend the restriction to high schools, where students are typically aged 15 to 18.
France also passed a law in 2023 requiring parental consent for children under 15 to create social media accounts, although enforcement has been hindered by technical challenges.
In June, Macron said he would push for EU-wide action after a fatal school stabbing shocked the country. In November, the European Parliament urged member states to set minimum age limits for social media use to address rising mental health concerns among adolescents.
Opinion polls suggest strong public backing for tougher measures. A 2024 Harris Interactive survey found that 73% of respondents supported a ban on social media access for under-15s.
