Ban on Social Media Access for Children Under 15 in Türkiye

The French Parliament adopted a bill on 21 July 2026 banning access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15. The regulation, supported by President Emmanuel Macron, completed its legislative process after being approved first by the Senate and then by the National Assembly. Thus, France became the first European Union country to impose an age limit on social media use. The bill was adopted in the National Assembly with 279 votes in favor and 81 against.

The law was drafted in response to growing concerns about the risks children face online, the prevention of digital addiction, and the impact of social media on children’s mental health and safety. It is considered a significant step in France’s policy shift toward protecting children in the digital environment.

Under the law, starting on 1 September 2026, children under the age of 15 will no longer be permitted to create new accounts on social media platforms. Social media companies are required to implement age verification systems that are approved by the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL).

The regulation also imposes an obligation on social media platforms to close existing user accounts of those under 15 within four months of the law coming into effect. According to the implementation schedule reported by the BBC, the age verification system will be activated for new accounts on 1 September 2026, while verification of existing accounts and compliance with the new rules will be completed by January 2027. As a result, all users wishing to access social media in France will be required to verify their age.

President Emmanuel Macron has framed the regulation as part of his broader digital policy goals aimed at protecting children online. In a statement following the law’s adoption, Macron confirmed that the government had fulfilled a campaign promise and emphasized that stronger protective mechanisms would be established against the risks children encounter on social media platforms.

In previous statements, Macron argued that social media platforms negatively affect children’s attention spans, psychological development, and social participation, and called for young people to reduce their phone usage and redirect their focus toward educational and cultural activities. The French government asserts that age verification technologies are feasible and secure, and that the regulation can be implemented swiftly.

While the law is regarded as a significant step toward protecting children in the digital environment, it has also sparked debates regarding the feasibility of age verification systems and the protection of personal data. Criticisms focus on the privacy of personal information shared during age verification, the possibility that children may circumvent the restrictions through technical means, and the practical enforceability of the regulation.

Social media companies have stated that they have already enhanced existing safety measures for child users and affirmed their commitment to comply with legal regulations imposed by governments. The European Commission is also working on common European regulations to protect children online, and the compatibility of France’s law with EU legislation will be assessed as part of this process.

With this regulation, France has become the first European Union country to impose an age limit on social media use. The first country worldwide to implement a similar measure was Australia, where a ban on social media for children under 16 came into effect in December 2025. However, assessments following its implementation suggest that many children have continued to access social media platforms.

In Europe, regulatory efforts targeting children’s social media use have accelerated in recent months. The United Kingdom has announced plans to implement a similar ban for children under 16 starting in January 2027, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has indicated that new EU-wide regulations to restrict children’s social media use may be developed. France’s law is recognized as one of the first comprehensive legal examples in Europe aimed at regulating children’s access to digital platforms.