Von der Leyen and Macron push for EU-wide under-15 social media ban
EU leaders push for harmonized under-15 social media restrictions across all member states.
Event / Politics
France Social Media Under-15 Ban
France submitted a revised bill to the EU Commission to ban social media access for those under 15, targeting addictive features rather than specific platforms, with a parental override for ages 13-15. The revised approach aims to comply with French constitutional law and EU regulations, with implementation expected before spring 2027. President Macron is advocating for harmonized EU-wide legislation on the matter.
2 reported locations
Daily activity
2 articles0 articles
2026-09-14 to 2026-11-06 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 14 Sept, 09:30 UTC
Follow the documented timeline or explore the related reporting.
What happened
EU Commission President von der Leyen to propose EU-wide social media ban for under-15s
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to propose EU-wide legislation banning social media access for those under 15 years old in her speech to the European Parliament on September 18, 2026. The proposal could include a parental override option for ages 13-15, aligning with the revised French approach.
Revised French bill targets specific addictive features rather than platform names
To address constitutional and European regulatory concerns, the revised French legislation proposes listing approximately ten harmful or addictive features for minors—such as autoplay video functionality, night-time notification streams, and communication with unknown accounts—rather than naming specific platforms. This approach aims to comply with European rules that prohibit naming individual services while still restricting problematic functionality.
France submits revised social media ban bill to EU Commission
The French government submitted a revised version of legislation to ban social media access for those under 15 years old to the European Commission on September 14, 2026. This notification follows the Constitutional Council's censure of the previous legislative text in mid-August.
Constitutional Council rejects original social media ban as disproportionate restriction on free speech
France's Constitutional Council censured the original social media ban legislation on August 14, 2026, ruling that the blanket interdiction constituted a disproportionate restriction on adolescents' freedom of expression and communication. The Council acknowledged the constitutional requirement to protect children's best interests but found the original measure too broad, targeting all digital services without regard to specific risks, age nuance, or family context.
Macron confirms government commitment to enact social media ban before spring 2027
President Emmanuel Macron announced that the government will complete the legislative process to make a social media access ban operational in France before he leaves the Élysée Palace in spring 2027. Macron instructed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to find a legislative approach compliant with both Constitutional Council rulings and European law requirements.
Macron calls for EU-level social media regulation as standard for all European children
President Macron wrote to Commission President von der Leyen in late August 2026, advocating for EU-wide legislation that would establish a consistent standard banning social media platform access for children under 15 across the entire European Union, framing child protection as a common European responsibility.
Revised bill includes parental override for ages 13-15
The revised French legislation permits exemptions for adolescents aged 13 to 15 years old if authorized by their legal representatives, providing parental discretion within the age-restricted framework.
Read the coverage
2 alternative perspectives
France redesigns under-15 social media ban after court rejection
France revised its social media ban bill after court rejection, focusing on features rather than platforms.