France’s Parliament has passed a bill banning children under 15 from using social media, making it the first European Union country to bar children from apps such as TikTok.
Lawmakers in both chambers of France’s Parliament voted on Tuesday July 21, 2026, in support of the legislation, which also bans students from using mobile phones in schools.
The French ban is expected to be rolled out in two stages, with children under the age of 15 blocked from creating new accounts from September 1.
According to the legislation, the ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027.
The Digital Minister Anne Le Henanff was quoted as saying that “if someone is under 15, the account will be closed.”
The President Emmanuel Marcon has championed the ban as a key reform of his final term in office and pledged to enforce it by September.
After approval by the Senate earlier on Tuesday, members of the National Assembly passed the bill by 279 votes to 81.
The ban was to be introduced in two stages, with under-15s blocked from creating new accounts from September. The ban would apply to existing accounts from January 2027.