France: National Assembly Approves Social Media Ban for Children Under 15

Does banning social media for kids under 15 protect children or threaten digital freedom while ignoring root causes?

Published 15 hours ago

France: National Assembly Approves Social Media Ban for Children Under 15

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Above: Members of Parliament attend a parliamentary debate on legislative process for a social media ban on under-15s at the National Assembly in Paris, France, on Jan. 26, 2026. Image credit: Ludovic Marin/AFP/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

France leads Europe by confronting the public health catastrophe that social networks inflict on young minds. Self-regulation has failed as tech giants prioritize profits over safety, making legal intervention necessary. Banning social media for under-15s protects children's futures from addictive platforms designed like slot machines.

Guardian

Gabriel Attal on X

Government-critical narrative

Digital paternalism solves nothing and creates a Trojan horse for censorship and surveillance. Real solutions require investing in public health and regulating platforms directly, not imposing bans. This law threatens digital freedom while failing to address the root causes of youth psychological suffering.

Florian Philippot on X

Arnaud Saint-Martin on X