EU Parliament and France Push to Restrict Social Media for Minors

Governments across Europe are accelerating efforts to protect children from the harms of social media, with both national legislation and EU-level pressure mounting. France has approved a law banning social media for under-15s, set to take effect in September 2026, while the European Parliament has called for an EU-wide minimum age of 16, urging immediate action Source: clarin, lavanguardia.

Divergent approaches

French President Emmanuel Macron framed the move as protecting children from foreign tech giants, stating the law addresses risks like cyberbullying, sleep disruption, and addiction Source: clarin. The ban will be paired with a prohibition on mobile phones in schools. However, the European Commission has not yet committed to a single age limit; it awaits expert recommendations due in July before proposing legislation, possibly by year-end Source: lavanguardia.

Meanwhile, voices within the EU disagree on the best path. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni rejects an age limit, arguing it fails to address root causes, and center-right MEP Pablo Arias backs a “third way” focusing on enforcing existing laws and parental controls rather than outright bans Source: lavanguardia.

The broader push

The European Parliament declared social media’s effects a “pandemic” and demanded the Commission enforce the Digital Services Act (DSA) more strictly. Malta’s Alex Agius said: “We must take immediate measures” Source: lavanguardia. The UK also recently announced plans to restrict under-16s’ access to many digital services Source: clarin.

These efforts reflect a growing consensus that current self-regulation by platforms like Meta and TikTok is insufficient, though the exact age threshold and enforcement methods remain contested.