France has become the first European country to impose a statutory ban on children’s access to social media.
On July 21, the French parliament adopted a new law that prohibits children under the age of 15 from accessing social media, even with parental consent. The law also strengthens an existing prohibition on the use of mobile phones in schools.
The social media ban is expected to be implemented in two stages. From September 1, children under the age of 15 will be prohibited from creating new social media accounts. From January 1 2027, the prohibition will extend to existing accounts, meaning that children under 15 will no longer be permitted to access social media platforms such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram.
Similar measures are also being considered in Spain, Greece and Finland, while Germany has so far chosen to wait. The UK has also announced plans to ban social media access for children under 16.
The shift from parental consent to an outright ban on social media
Against a backdrop of mounting concern around the harmful effects of social media on children (particularly girls), France introduced a series of measures between 2023 and 2026 to regulate children’s access to social media.
The first reform came when France amended its “Confidence in the digital economy” legislation; under this framework, children under the age of 15 could only register for a social media account with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
Social media platforms were also required to verify users’ ages and parental consent, provide information about online risks and data protection rights, allow a parent or guardian to request that a child’s account be suspended and offer tools to help parents monitor how long their child spent on the platform.
The central legislative amendment this year means that parental consent is no longer allowed as a workaround
France has now adopted a much stricter approach. The central legislative amendment this year means that parental consent is no longer allowed as a workaround. Instead, the law prohibits children under 15 from accessing social-networking services altogether. This is a significant shift from the 2023 law, which allowed children to access social media with parental approval, to a blanket prohibition for children under the age of 15.
During the parliamentary process, the French Senate proposed a much narrower alternative. Under the Senate’s version, it proposed that the government designate a list of social media services considered to be harmful to children. Children under 15 would have been prohibited only from accessing the so-called “black-listed services”, while parental consent would have remained available for other social media platforms.
However, the final legislation rejected the Senate’s proposal. Instead, parliament adopted the National Assembly’s broader position that all social media services falling within the statutory definition of an online social-networking service are subject to the under-15 prohibition.
The ban is not without carve-outs. The prohibition does not apply to online encyclopaedias, educational or scientific directories, platforms for developing and sharing open-source software, or open-source digital projects with an educational purpose.
Further restrictions
The legislation contains significant measures beyond the social media ban. It extends existing restrictions on the use of mobile phones and other electronic communications devices from primary and lower-secondary schools to upper-secondary schools.
School and institutional plans must also address the use of digital technologies and include awareness measures for students, staff and parents concerning excessive exposure to screens, the potentially addictive nature of social media and the associated risks to health and wellbeing. These educational measures are due to apply from the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year.
France’s social media ban reflects a broader international trend towards stricter regulation of children’s access to social media. As concerns continue to grow about the impact of social media on children’s mental health, wellbeing and online safety, an increasing number of countries are considering similar restrictions.
Whether South Africa will follow this trend remains uncertain. However, given the growing international momentum and the increased focus on protecting children in the digital environment, South African legislators may soon face increasing pressure to adopt similar measures.
• Harris and Steele are directors at lawfirm Nortons Inc.
