France moves to kick children off social media

French lawmakers were on Monday set to vote on a bill seeking to ban access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15, backed by President Emmanuel Macron.

The proposed legislation, introduced by centrist lawmakers, is part of broader efforts to curb excessive screen time and protect minors’ mental health. It also includes provisions to ban mobile phones in high schools.

The move follows a similar step taken by Australia in December, when it became the first country to prohibit social media use for under-16s.

Concerns over the impact of prolonged screen time on children have intensified globally, with studies and policymakers warning that excessive exposure to social media could hinder child development and worsen mental health challenges among minors.

In a video message broadcast on Saturday, Macron said the bill was aimed at shielding children and teenagers from exploitation by powerful technology companies.

“The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms,” the French president said.

Debate on the bill was scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm (1500 GMT) in the National Assembly. The legislation is expected to pass the lower house before being forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

The French government is pushing for swift passage of the bill. If approved, the measures would take effect from the start of the 2026 school year, initially applying to new social media accounts.

Leader of President Macron’s Renaissance party lawmakers in the National Assembly, former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, said he expects the Senate to pass the bill by mid-February.

According to Attal, the ban would take effect for new accounts from September 1, while social media platforms would have until December 31 to deactivate existing accounts that fail to meet the new age requirements.