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France Prepares Bill to Bar Under-15s From Social Networks and Extend School Phone Ban

Officials plan to borrow from Australia’s model to deliver EU‑compliant age checks after a 2023 consent law stalled.

Overview

  • The government is expected to present the proposal in early January with a target start date of September 1, 2026.
  • The draft contains two articles that would make it illegal for platforms to provide social-network services to under-15s and would extend mobile-phone bans to secondary schools.
  • Phones have been prohibited in primary and middle schools since 2018, and the new measure would bring secondary schools under the same restriction.
  • President Emmanuel Macron has positioned the plan as child protection and has urged EU-wide minimum ages for social media access.
  • France is studying verification tools used in Australia’s December 2025 law, while similar moves in Malaysia and interest from EU leaders signal broader international momentum.