France is banning social media for under-15s The Parliament has finally settled the debate

On Monday, July 20, MPs and senators reached a decisive milestone by approving a bill aimed at banning children under the age of 15 from accessing social media. Meeting as a Joint Committee (CMP) - a body composed of seven MPs and seven senators - they adjusted the list of targeted platforms to ensure compliance with European law, ultimately leaning toward a generalized ban. The vote outcome within the CMP reflects a relative consensus, albeit not without reservations: out of the 14 members, 9 voted in favor, 2 against, and 3 abstained.

Among those who abstained, Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte strongly questioned the effectiveness of such a radical measure: "The tougher the ban, the more workarounds it creates. That is what we saw in Australia, for example, where two-thirds of minors who had social media accounts kept them despite the ban," as quoted by Radio France. Pointing to the Australian example - where legislation was passed last year setting a similar age limit at 16 - the MP advocates for a shift in focus. In his view, it is wiser to target platforms directly rather than users, by imposing strict restrictions that tech giants would be legally required to enforce.

A flagship reform for the end of Emmanuel Macron's term

Considered one of the landmark pieces of legislation of this late presidential term, the bill explicitly provides that "access to an online social network service" be "prohibited for minors" under 15. However, exceptions are included to prevent collateral blockages, particularly for educational resources such as online encyclopedias.

The timeline looks tight. Implementation is envisioned as early as the start of the upcoming school year, alongside a ban on mobile phones in high schools, which is also included in the text. If this schedule is met, France would act as a pioneer within the European Union regarding the regulation of tech giants.

The technical and legal headache of age verification

The main hurdle lies in a critical requirement: ensuring the text's full compliance with European law. On the ground, such a measure requires establishing a highly robust age verification system - a genuine technological headache. The responsibility for this mechanism will fall directly on the platforms, which will have to deploy reliable solutions to block unauthorized access.

The French initiative fits into a broader international trend. For instance, the European Commission introduced a proposal last April for a continent-wide app dedicated to age verification. Across the Channel, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is also considering a similar ban for under-16s.

Between a political desire to show firmness and complex technological realities, France has entered a true race against the clock. Now that the law has been passed, it remains to be seen whether this ban will manage to overcome the widespread bypass observed abroad, or if it will represent the cornerstone of digital regulation across Europe.