The French parliament has approved a bill aimed at protecting minors from the risks associated with social media use. Under the approved bill, it is aimed to block access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15 and to protect children from disturbing or harmful content. The relevant provisions are expected to come into effect as of September 1 this year, while users under the age of 15 who already have an account will be given a transition period until January 1, 2027, to close their accounts or complete age verification processes.
The social media applications covered by the ban include Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Snapchat, as well as other platforms that allow users to interact, broadcast content publicly, or join user communities. Online encyclopedias like Wikipedia and platforms focused on education or science are excluded from this restriction.
With this step, France has become the first European Union (EU) country to introduce an age regulation for social media use.
