France bans social media for under‑15s, sparking worldwide push on child‑online restrictions

France social media ban under‑15 restriction age verification global minors policy EU panel recommendation

France became the first European Union member to adopt a blanket ban on social‑media access for minors under 15. The National Assembly approved the measure on 21 July 2026, with the law taking effect in two stages: from 1 September 2026 new accounts for under‑15s must not be created, and from 1 January 2027 existing accounts must be closed. The text lists exemptions for online encyclopedias, educational directories and open‑source development platforms, but it omits any mechanism for platforms to verify a user’s age, a gap highlighted by legal analysts and the European Commission.

Australia has already implemented a similar restriction, prohibiting social‑media use for children under 16 from December 2025. Argentina is debating four separate bills on the issue, two in the Chamber of Deputies and two in the Senate, while the EU expert panel has recommended limiting social‑media access for children under 13. Experts such as psychiatrist Marina Begonja have warned that unrestricted screen time is “catastrophic”, and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called social media “not a toy”.

The French law joins measures already in force in Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and China, and adds to a growing global movement to curb minors’ exposure to algorithm‑driven platforms.

Entities: Australian Government · European Commission · French government · Laure Miller · Marina Begonja · Ursula von der Leyen

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 2 SOURCES] The European Union panel recommended restricting social media access for children under 13. (Article b65c99dc)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Argentina has four pending bills on social‑media restrictions for minors, two in the Chamber of Deputies and two in the Senate. (Article 84cccbf5)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Marina Begonja said unrestricted screen access for children is “catastrophic”. (Article 84cccbf5)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Australia will ban social‑media for children under 16 starting December 2025. (Article b65c99dc)
[○ 1 SOURCE] France has prohibited social media for minors under 15, with the rule taking effect in September. (f455dd6d-fe11-4ab4-abad-340b7d759334)
[○ 1 SOURCE] Ursula von der Leyen said “social media are not a toy”. (Article f455dd6d)
[● 2 SOURCES] Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and China have enacted bans or restrictions on social media for minors. (Article b65c99dc)
[● 2 SOURCES] The French law takes effect on 1 September 2026 for new accounts and on 1 January 2027 for existing accounts belonging to under‑15s. (Articles 8e6919d3, eb1b86eb)
[● 3 SOURCES] France passed a law banning social‑media access for minors under 15, approved by both parliamentary chambers on 21 July 2026. (Article 250a3457, 8e6919d3, eb1b86eb)