Overview
- The French Parliament approved the measure on Tuesday, July 21, making France the first EU country to pass a general ban on social media use by people under 15.
- The law sets a two-stage rollout that blocks creation of new accounts from 1 September 2026 and extends to existing accounts from 1 January 2027.
- Responsibility for proving and verifying users’ ages falls to platforms, which are not told which exact method to use and must satisfy French regulators including Arcom and the data protection authority.
- The text was revised after the European Commission raised legal concerns and the bill must now pass the Conseil Constitutionnel and be checked for compatibility with EU digital rules before taking effect.
- Critics and some lawmakers warn the timetable is tight and that technical limits, evasion by youths, and enforcement burdens could hinder the law’s practical impact while the measure also expands the school mobile-phone ban to lycées.