The French government is planning to ban social media platforms for children under the age of 15 from the start of the 2026 academic year. President Emmanuel Macron has championed the idea in recent weeks, expressing that he wants France to follow Australia’s world-first ban on social media platforms for under-16s, which came into action in December.According to a report by Le Monde, a draft bill is now complete and contains two measures: a ban on social media for under-15s and a ban on mobile phones in high schools, where 15 to 18-year-olds study.
The social media ban will come into effect from Sept. 2026. According to the outlet, the text of the draft bill noted “the risks of excessive screen use by teenagers,” including exposure to inappropriate social media content, online bullying, and disrupted sleep patterns. The bill also cited that it needs to “protect future generations” from dangers that threaten their ability to thrive and live together in a society.
Australia pioneers the shift
Lawmakers worldwide are examining the role that social media plays in the lives of young children. Many countries, including the United States, are rolling out new laws to limit access, delay exposure, or require parental consent for minors. Australia became the pioneer with its world-first under-16 ban, effective December 10, 2025, where major social media services, including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and Threads, were banned. This ban prevents setting up new accounts and deactivates existing profiles of under-16s.Infringing this ban does not punish the children or parents. Instead, social media tycoons will face a fine of up to $32m for serious or repeated breaches, which further reassures the effectiveness of the ban. In Italy, minors under 14 legally need parental consent to use social media. In Dec. 2025, the nominee to head South Korea’s broadcast and media commission told parliament that he would pursue imposing restrictions on social media use for teenagers, as it is a means to protect young people.In North Korea, there is a near-total restriction on social media and internet access.
Why the social media ban for young children matters
Social media platforms may have a far more serious role in the lives of young children. A 2023 study by researchers at the University of Toronto found that excessive screen time is linked to suicidal behaviours in US preteens. The study pointed out that greater screen time among children between the ages of 9 and 11 is associated with a higher risk of developing suicidal behaviors two years later. There is a 9% higher risk of suicidal behaviour.“Screen usage could lead to social isolation, cyberbullying, and sleep disruption, which could worsen mental health. More time on screens often displaces time for in person socializing, physical activity, and sleep,” senior author, Jason Nagata, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco, said.“Screen time can have important benefits such as education and socialization, but parents should try to mitigate adverse mental health risks from excessive screen time. Parents should regularly talk to their children about screen usage and role model screen behaviors,” Nagata added.Despite bans and strict rules in place, many young children access banned social media platforms. A 2025 study by researchers at the University of California – San Francisco found that most 11 and 12-year-olds use TikTok and other social media platforms despite its age restrictions.“Policymakers need to look at TikTok as a systemic social media issue and create effective measures that protect children online. TikTok is the most popular social media platform for children, yet kids reported having more than three different social media accounts, including Instagram and Snapchat,” Jason Nagata, MD, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and the lead author of the study, said. Another study from the researchers in 2025 found that social media might be making kids depressed. Researchers at UC San Francisco found that as preteens used more social media, their depressive symptoms increased. Kids’ social media use rose from seven to 73 minutes per day, on average, over the three years of the study, and their depressive symptoms went up 35%.“There has been ongoing debate about whether social media contributes to depression or simply reflects underlying depressive symptoms. These findings provide evidence that social media may be contributing to the development of depressive symptoms,” Nagata said.Social media use does have an impact on young minds, but how the ban may help is for us to wait and witness.
