France to Require Age Verification for Social Media Users Under 15

From September 2026, France will obligate social‑media platforms to confirm the age of new users and block access for anyone younger than 15. The measure will rely on the France Identité system and aims to protect minors, but it raises questions about technical feasibility, data‑privacy safeguards and the risk of users circumventing the checks.

The policy sits within a broader European regulatory context. The EU’s Digital Services Act already requires platforms to protect minors and the General Data Protection Regulation sets a minimum consent age of 16, with national variants allowing lower ages. Enforcement remains uneven, as illustrated by high under‑age usage rates reported in Denmark, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg. Experts note that similar bans, such as Australia’s restriction for users under 16, have struggled with practicality and privacy concerns.