France is taking one of its boldest steps yet to protect children online.
The French Parliament has overwhelmingly approved legislation establishing a mandatory “digital majority” at the age of 15, effectively banning children younger than that from using major social media platforms.
Unlike previous proposals that relied on parents to approve access, the final law creates a blanket restriction. It also shifts the responsibility for enforcement away from families and onto technology companies.
Supporters say the move is necessary to protect young people from the harmful effects of social media. Critics argue it may be difficult to enforce and could open new debates about privacy, parental rights, and government regulation.
A Two-Stage Rollout for the New Rules
The legislation will be introduced in phases.
Starting September 1, children under 15 will no longer be able to create new accounts on major social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, X, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, Reddit, Twitch, and Kick.
The law also introduces a mobile phone ban in middle and high schools, reinforcing limits on screen use during school hours.
The second phase begins in January, when platforms will be legally required to identify, suspend, or remove existing accounts belonging to users under 15.
Instead of asking parents or schools to enforce the rules, the government is placing the legal responsibility squarely on the companies operating these platforms.
Tech Companies Must Prove Users Are Old Enough
Perhaps the most significant part of the legislation is that social media platforms not parents or children must verify users’ ages.
Companies that fail to prevent underage access could face significant penalties.
However, age verification must also comply with Europe’s strict privacy laws. That means companies cannot simply collect copies of passports or national ID cards from millions of users.
Instead, several privacy-focused verification methods are being considered.
Third-Party Age Verification
One of the leading solutions involves independent verification providers such as Yoti or k-ID.
Users would verify their age with these trusted services, which would then send platforms a simple confirmation that the user meets the age requirement without revealing personal information like their name or birth date.
This approach is often described as “double anonymity”, where neither the verification provider nor the social media platform has access to the other’s sensitive data.
Europe’s Digital Identity Wallet
European regulators are also developing an official EU Digital Identity Wallet.
Using zero-knowledge proof technology, the system can confirm that someone is over 15 without disclosing any additional personal information.
This could eventually become the preferred method for age verification across the European Union.
AI Selfie Checks
Some platforms are testing AI-powered facial age estimation.
Users record a short selfie video, and artificial intelligence estimates their age before deleting the scan immediately afterward.
Although the process is quick, critics argue that AI still struggles with teenagers whose appearance falls close to the legal age threshold.
Behavioral Analysis
Companies may also analyze existing account activity, device information, and usage patterns to identify accounts that likely belong to underage users.
This method would supplement, rather than replace, formal age verification.
Why France Decided to Act
French lawmakers argue that today’s recommendation algorithms expose children to unprecedented risks.
During parliamentary debates, legislators pointed to growing evidence linking excessive social media use to:
- Cyberbullying
- Sleep deprivation
- Eating disorders
- Anxiety and depression
- Self-harm risks
- Addictive algorithmic feeds
President Emmanuel Macron has made children’s digital wellbeing one of his signature policy priorities before the end of his presidency.
His message has remained consistent:
“Our children’s brains are not for sale.”
Not Every Online Platform Is Covered
Despite headlines suggesting a complete internet ban for teenagers, the legislation is far more targeted.
Services considered essential for education or collaboration are exempt.
These include:
- Wikipedia and online encyclopedias
- School and university portals
- Academic databases
- Online libraries
- Open-source development platforms such as GitHub
Some direct messaging services may also receive lighter treatment because the law primarily targets algorithm-driven public content platforms, rather than private communication.
Why Twitch and Streaming Platforms Are Included
The legislation extends beyond traditional social media.
Platforms such as Twitch and Kick are included because lawmakers believe live-streaming presents unique risks for younger audiences.
Officials highlighted two major concerns.
First, engagement features such as live chat, infinite browsing, notifications, and reward systems are designed to maximize screen time.
Second, real-time interaction exposes children to cyberbullying, adult discussions, harassment, and potentially dangerous online relationships that are harder to moderate than pre-recorded content.
Parents Cannot Give Permission
One of the most controversial parts of the debate involved parental consent.
Earlier drafts of the bill proposed allowing children under 15 to use social media if parents explicitly approved.
The Senate supported this approach.
However, the National Assembly rejected it.
Lawmakers argued that many parents feel overwhelmed by constant requests from children or underestimate how recommendation algorithms influence young users.
As a result, the final law treats social media similarly to alcohol or tobacco, establishing a legal minimum age that cannot be overridden by parental permission.
Parents Won’t Be Punished
Although parents cannot legally authorize access, they also won’t face legal consequences if their children manage to bypass the restrictions.
The legislation imposes no fines, criminal penalties, or civil liability on families.
Instead, all legal responsibility falls on technology companies.
Lawmakers say this approach actually supports parents by creating a nationwide standard.
Instead of individual parents becoming “the bad guy” because every other child uses TikTok, the law creates a common rule that applies to everyone.
Can Teenagers Simply Use a VPN?
The biggest question surrounding the law is whether it can actually work.
Critics point to Australia’s similar restrictions, where many teenagers reportedly bypassed age limits using VPNs, alternative accounts, or false personal information.
French regulators acknowledge these challenges.
Platforms will be expected to detect suspicious IP activity, identify location spoofing, and use additional device-level verification before allowing access.
Still, no verification system is expected to be foolproof.
The success of the law will largely depend on how effective technology companies become at detecting attempts to circumvent the rules.
A Bigger Debate About Parenting and Government
Beyond technology, the law has sparked a broader philosophical debate.
Opponents argue the government is replacing parental responsibility with state regulation.
Some worry parents may become less engaged in teaching digital literacy if they assume the government has already solved the problem.
Others believe the law sends the wrong message by suggesting online safety is primarily the state’s responsibility.
Supporters see the issue differently.
They argue parents are being asked to compete against recommendation systems built by some of the world’s largest technology companies, systems specifically designed to maximize engagement.
From this perspective, the law does not replace parenting.
Instead, it gives parents a stronger foundation for saying no while reducing the social pressure children face when everyone else appears to be online.
Whether It Works May Depend on the Platforms
France’s new digital majority law represents one of Europe’s most ambitious attempts to reshape children’s relationship with social media.
Its success, however, won’t be determined only by legislation.
It will depend on whether technology companies can develop effective, privacy-friendly age verification systems, whether regulators can enforce compliance, and whether families continue to play an active role in guiding children’s online habits.
For now, France has made one thing clear: protecting children online is no longer just a parental responsibility, it is becoming a legal obligation for the platforms themselves.
