France moves to ban social media for under-15s, bar cellphones in high schools

The French Council of State will examine the bill on Jan. 8 with an aim to ban access to social media for young people under age 15 and prohibit the use of cellphones in high schools starting with the new school year, meaning September 2026.

According to government sources, the bill has been drafted in a way that ensure it complies with European law, unlike a previous attempt that fell short.

In November, President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to extend the ban on cellphone use to high schools from the start of the 2026-2027 school year and to impose a social media ban for young people under 15 or 16.

The cellphone ban has already been in place from nursery school through middle school under a 2018 law, although it has at times proven difficult to enforce.

Many academic studies have documented the mental health risks of social media use by young people as well as the dangers of distraction by cellphones among teens.