France Sends Brussels a Revised Ban on Social Media for Under-15s

Paris tries again

President Emmanuel Macron said on 14 September that France has submitted a revised version of its plan to restrict social media for children under 15 to the European Commission. An earlier national attempt ran into legal trouble, including a Constitutional Council finding that a blanket ban risked a disproportionate limit on free expression.

The new text is meant to survive both French constitutional review and EU single-market rules. Brussels is separately preparing a KIDS Act-style framework on social media safety, which would add another layer of enforcement across the bloc.

The political argument

Supporters say platforms are not built for early adolescence and that age gates have failed. Critics say a hard ban is hard to police, easy to evade with VPNs, and may collide with parental rights and speech law.

France has already spent political capital on the file. A second draft that cannot be applied would leave the government exposed ahead of the 2027 presidential race.

Europe is watching the same problem

Several member states want Brussels to set the floor so national rules do not fragment the market. If the Commission accepts the French approach as compatible, other capitals may copy it. If not, Paris will have to rewrite again.