France passes law banning under-15s from social media

The Legislative Timeline and Technical Requirements

The French parliament passed the ban this week, with both the Senate and National Assembly adopting the measure. The rollout of the policy is scheduled in two distinct stages. Starting in September, individuals under 15 will be prohibited from opening new social media accounts, and platforms will be required to implement age verification for all new sign-ups. By January 2027, the mandate extends to all existing accounts, requiring every user in the country to verify they are over the age of 15.

Lessons from Australia’s Experimental Ban

France is not the first country to attempt such a restriction; it follows Australia, which implemented a ban for under-16s in December. However, the outcomes of the Australian experiment have been mixed. In March, the Australian eSafety Commission reported that seven out of 10 children who held accounts before the ban continued to maintain some access to the platforms.

Privacy Risks and Emerging Global Standards

The French law arrives amid a wave of similar legislative activity across the West. In the UK, former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in June that the country would move to ban social media for under-16s by January 2027, alongside a potential midnight curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed a social media delay for children across the EU.

Critics, however, warn that these measures carry significant trade-offs. Beyond concerns regarding the efficacy of age-verification tools, experts point to potential risks involving user privacy and the possibility that minors will simply migrate to less-regulated digital spaces. There are also fears that such bans may inadvertently hinder political empowerment and reduce news consumption among younger demographics.

Protecting Personal Accounts in the United States

While European nations focus on broad age restrictions, legislative efforts in the United States have prioritized individual privacy protections against institutional overreach. As Mashable reported, Michigan recently passed the internet privacy protection act, which prohibit[s] employers and educational institutions from requiring certain individuals to grant access to, allow observation of, or disclose information that allows access to or observation of personal internet accounts.

This legislation, signed by Governor Rick Snyder, ensures that employers and schools cannot demand passwords for private social media profiles. The governor stated, Potential employees and students should be judged on their skills and abilities, not private online activity, reflecting a shift in how state legislatures are handling internet privacy. Similar laws have been enacted in states including Delaware and California, marking a distinct approach to the digital sphere compared to the access-blocking strategies currently favored in Europe.

Unresolved Questions for Implementation

Despite the legislative momentum in France, significant uncertainty remains regarding the practical application of the law. While the government maintains that the required verification tools are safe and effective, the French privacy regulator faces the challenge of enforcing these rules without compromising the data security of millions of users. Whether the French model can avoid the high bypass rates seen in Australia or if it will face legal challenges regarding the privacy of minors remains the primary question to watch as the 2027 deadline approaches.