France bans under-15s from social media as Brussels prepares for enforcement
France has approved a ban on social media for children under 15, placing the burden of age verification on tech companies and handing the European Commission the power to issue fines of up to six percent of global turnover.
France has become the first EU country to ban social media access for children under 15. The legislation requires platforms to block new underage users from September 1, 2026, and suspend existing underage accounts from January 1, 2027.
The law places the compliance burden directly on technology companies. “We are placing the responsibility on social networks, meaning that they are the ones who will have to find the technical solutions to verify age,” said Anne Le Hénanff, France’s Minister Delegate for Digital Affairs.
Platforms will be expected to offer users a choice of identification methods, such as France Identité or a tool developed by Docaposte, a subsidiary of La Poste. However, the EU’s Digital Services Act restricts platforms from directly accessing identity documents, meaning they must rely on a trusted third party to verify ages.
The exact scope of the ban remains unclear. While targeting services like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat, it leaves grey areas around YouTube, WhatsApp and gaming platforms like Roblox. “In the absence of any list of the platforms concerned, defining its scope will fall to the European Commission,” a Senate press release stated.
The European Commission will also be responsible for policing the rule, with the power to fine non-compliant companies up to six percent of global turnover. This represents a significant regulatory risk for tech giants already navigating strict EU digital rules.
Evidence from other jurisdictions suggests platforms will struggle to guarantee compliance. In the UK, age verification measures in July 2025 led to a 460 percent jump in Reddit discussions about circumvention and two million VPN downloads. In Australia, where regulators have doubled fines to €60 million and are investigating five platforms, children have largely bypassed restrictions using fake IDs and VPNs.
The law must first survive a review by the Conseil constitutionnel before the government issues decrees to detail its implementation. President Emmanuel Macron praised the vote on X, stating: “France is leading the way in Europe when it comes to protecting our children and teenagers.”
