France is tightening the leash on digital platforms. President Emmanuel Macron’s government is reportedly preparing legislation to ban social media for children under the age of 15. This move aligns France with a growing global movement against unchecked platform access for youth. However, this new proposal takes a stricter stance than many of its predecessors.
Reports surfacing on December 31 indicate that the French government plans to submit draft legislation in early January. If successful, the ban will take effect in September 2026. The law targets major platforms, including Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.
Currently, France requires platforms to obtain parental consent for users under 15. This new legislation shifts the goalposts completely. It seeks to make these sites entirely inaccessible to younger teenagers. This follows Australia’s example of a social media ban for users under 16, though the French proposal applies to a slightly younger demographic.
The crackdown extends beyond software. France has enforced a ban on mobile phones in primary and middle school classrooms since 2018. The proposed legislation aims to expand this restriction to high schools.
President Macron highlighted this direction in his recent New Year’s Eve address. He explicitly stated a desire to “protect our children and teenagers from social media and screens”. This rhetoric is not new. In 2023, following riots sparked by the shooting of a 17-year-old, Macron blamed social media and video games for promoting violence. Consequently, the administration is now taking a harder line.
The impact on the gaming industry remains a major question mark. Australia’s recent ban spared gaming platforms like the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. However, it is currently unclear if the French legislation will offer the same exemptions.
The line between social media and gaming often blurs. Services like Roblox face bans in nine other countries due to child endangerment concerns. Therefore, they could be easy targets. This creates a complex contradiction for Macron. Despite his criticism of screens, he recently praised the French game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as a “shining example of French audacity and creativity”.
Draft legislation has not yet appeared. Until official details emerge, the future of online gaming and social connectivity for France’s youth remains uncertain.