France's parliament has approved a landmark bill banning social media access for children under 15, making the country the first in Europe to implement such a measure.President Emmanuel Macron has positioned this as a key reform of his final term, with enforcement set for September 2026.

The law will be rolled out in two phases: under-15s will be blocked from creating new accounts starting September 1, while existing accounts will face restrictions from January 2027.French Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff emphasized that age-verification tools already exist to enforce the ban, with platforms required to comply.The measure also aligns with plans to ban mobile phones in high schools, effective from the start of the French academic year.While the bill passed the Senate with overwhelming support, concerns remain about privacy, enforcement, and potential workarounds.

The move follows growing global efforts to regulate social media's impact on youth, with countries like Australia already implementing similar restrictions.Critics argue the rapid implementation could pose challenges, but supporters stress the need to protect children from online harms.