France Bans SNS for Those Under 15... First Legislation of Its Kind in the EU

Implementation starts in September...
Four-month grace period for existing accounts
Exemptions for educational and scientific platforms
Final procedures remain as global trend expands

Starting in September this year, minors under the age of 15 in France will no longer be able to use social networking services (SNS) such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. As global concerns grow over the deterioration of adolescents' mental health, addiction, and exposure to harmful content, France, following Australia, is setting up legal barriers against this trend. However, controversy is expected over issues such as how user age will be verified and the specific methods of law enforcement.

France to Completely Ban SNS for Those Under 15

On July 21 (local time), both houses of the French Parliament agreed on a compromise bill regulating minors' use of SNS, drafted by a joint committee. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 243 to 2 and the National Assembly by 279 to 81. France thus became the first European Union (EU) member state to establish a legal basis for regulating minors' use of SNS.

The law bans the use of SNS provided by online platforms for minors under the age of 15. In response to concerns from the EU, the compromise bill expanded the scope beyond certain platforms, applying to all social networking services as defined by the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA). Online encyclopedias, educational or scientific resource services, and open-source software development platforms are excluded from regulation.

The law is scheduled to take effect on September 1, with a four-month grace period for existing accounts created before that date. Schools will be required to educate students, parents, and faculty members about the risks of excessive screen time and SNS addiction. Restrictions on mobile phone use will also be expanded from middle schools to include high schools.

However, the bill is not finalized immediately. In accordance with EU law, France must notify the European Commission of the relevant details before promulgating the law, and no announcement can be made until this process is complete. The bill could also be subject to a Constitutional Council review under French law. Additional legal debates center on freedom of expression and the principle of proportionality. Media outlets such as Le Monde in France and The Times in the UK pointed out that the actual enforcement mechanisms, including age verification procedures, remain unclear.

French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X (formerly Twitter) immediately after the vote, saying, "What I promised is now accomplished," and "From the new school term, no one under 15 will be allowed to use SNS." He added, "It is now up to the Constitutional Council to make its judgment, after which measures to protect children online will be implemented." The Associated Press noted that this law may become one of Macron's last major legislative achievements before his term ends next year.

Australia as the Forerunner... EU Countries Also Consider Regulations

France is not the only country implementing such measures. In November 2024, the Australian parliament passed a law prohibiting SNS use for those under 16. After passing parliament, the law was implemented following an approximately one-year preparation period.

Indonesia, after establishing a government decree in March last year to regulate children's access to digital services, has since March this year restricted accounts for users under 16 on high-risk platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. In Europe, both Greece and Denmark are promoting bans on SNS use for those under 15, while Spain, Austria, Germany, and the United Kingdom are considering age limits or strengthened identity verification requirements.

The move to strengthen regulations is driven by concerns that SNS can negatively affect adolescents' mental health, sleep, and learning abilities. In particular, the proliferation of short-form video recommendation algorithms and infinite scrolling features has been repeatedly highlighted as increasing minors' usage time and leading to addictive behavior.

According to the Associated Press, French child advocacy groups and parents also welcomed the legislation for similar reasons. Gael Berbond, a 52-year-old resident near Paris, said, "From the very beginning, we campaigned for the passage of this bill," and added, "There is no alternative or other way to oppose big tech." Comparing it to the regulation of underage drinking, he emphasized, "The only thing we can do is protect children."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.