As more countries consider following Australia in restricting social media access for minors, France has emerged as one of the most prominent battlegrounds. President Emmanuel Macron, now in the final year of his presidency, has made a ban on social media for under-15s a personal priority, hoping to have legislation in place by September this year.
In January, France’s lower house approved a bill that would introduce such a ban. However, after a Senate vote at the end of March, the proposal has stalled, raising questions not only about France’s next steps, but also about whether other EU states—or even the European Union itself—could introduce similar measures.
Macron first announced last year that he wanted to ban social media access for under-15s, while also pushing for an EU-wide solution. Although France continues to support a European approach, recent developments suggest Paris is now focusing on national legislation first.
This led to a vote in the National Assembly in January, where the bill passed comfortably by 116 votes to 23. Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who now leads Macron’s Renaissance party in the lower house, said at the time that he hoped the Senate would approve the law quickly enough for it to come into force by 1 September. This did not happen.
During Senate debates on 31 March, senators argued that a blanket and absolute ban on social media platforms could be ruled unconstitutional, making the law vulnerable to legal challenge. Instead, they proposed a two-tier system: platforms judged to be particularly harmful for minors would be banned outright for under-15s, while access to other platforms would still be allowed with parental consent.
This revised proposal has now been sent to the European Commission, which must assess whether it complies with EU law—a process expected to take around three months.
As a result, Macron’s ambition of introducing a full ban by September now looks highly unlikely. Yet there are still important political signals worth noting.
First, there is now broad recognition across French politics that excessive social media use among children is a serious issue. During a recent school visit in northern France, Macron described children as being “left in this jungle,” arguing that social media had “robbed you of your attention.” He has also declared that “our children’s brains are not for sale.”
This concern is not limited to Macron’s camp. Thierry Perez of the National Rally described the issue as a “health emergency.” When rhetoric like this becomes mainstream across the political spectrum, meaningful regulation becomes far more likely—even if it takes longer than originally planned.
Second, public opinion strongly supports action. A Harris Interactive survey in 2024 found that 73% of French people supported banning social media access for under-15s. That level of support makes it unlikely the issue will disappear from the political agenda, even if implementation is delayed.
France is also not alone. Spain, Greece, and Slovenia have all either drafted proposals or signalled their intention to introduce restrictions, with other countries signalling that they will follow. A recent Politico poll found that three out of four Europeans believe governments should set minimum age limits for social media use.
It should be noteworthy that it is EU countries who are leading the charge on this endeavour. Despite the European Parliament in November 2025 voting for a social media ban for U16s, the Commission has preferred to defer any implementation to national competencies. However, the EU is moving ahead on one key component of any national ban: an age verification app. On 15 April, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that a European age verification app would soon be available. The app would allow users to verify their age anonymously by uploading identification such as a passport or national ID card, creating a harmonised system for access to age-restricted online platforms.
Speaking on child online safety, von der Leyen said: “We must protect our children in the online world, just as we do in the offline world. And for that, we need a harmonised European approach.”
The app is already being trialled in several EU countries. However, critics have raised concerns over privacy and security, with cyber experts arguing that the current demo version contains serious vulnerabilities.
Even so, the fact that Brussels is already addressing the practical challenge of age verification is significant. Enforcement has always been one of the biggest obstacles to any social media ban. Without a reliable way to verify age, legislation risks becoming symbolic rather than effective.
France may not achieve a full ban by September, but the direction of travel is clear. Across Europe, the political consensus is shifting. The debate is no longer whether governments should intervene, but how far they are willing to go.
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