Social Media

France Passes Social Media Ban for Under-15s, Leading Europe's Crackdown on Internet Freedom

French President Emmanuel Macron has advocated for social media bans before. Now, he's gotten his wish before leaving office.

Meagan O'Rourke | 7.22.2026 4:02 PM

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Amidst the global push to crack down on kids' internet usage, France this week became the first member of the European Union to pass a social media ban for children under the age of 15. 

French President Emmanuel Macron, whose term ends next year, has pushed for social media bans before. Last June, he urged the European Union to implement a social media ban for children under 15 after a 14-year-old boy fatally stabbed a teaching assistant during a bag search, reported Reuters. Macron told a French public broadcaster at the time that if the E.U. failed........

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