Tech Desk 
Jan 01, 2026
France is preparing to ban children under 15 from using social media and prohibit mobile phones in high schools, local media reported on Wednesday.
The measures aim to address growing concerns about the impact of online content and screen time on minors’ mental health and safety.
France plans social media ban
French President Emmanuel Macron has often linked social media with young people getting involved in violent activities and hinted that France could follow Australia’s policy, under which persons under 16 cannot use social media platforms such as Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube.
According to reports in Le Monde and France Info media, Macron’s administration will distribute a draft of these laws for legal assessment in early January 2026.
Even in his New Year’s Eve message, Macron did not mention these regulations but promised that “our children and teenagers will be protected from social media and screens.”
The prohibition of mobile use in primary and middle schools was initiated in 2018, but the new amendment will also cover high schools up to the age of 15 years old.
The law in France in 2023 also mandated a consent request from parents of under-15-year-olds to create accounts on social media platforms; however, the implementation was hindered by technicalities.
Macron was also reported to be planning to limit the age limits in the European Union after the school stabbings in 2024.
Public attitude seems favourable, as indicated by the result of the Harris Interactive survey conducted in 2024, showing that 73% of respondents support the banning of social media usage for children below the age of 15.
