It was one of Emmanuel Macron’s key promises. After months of debate and a compromise found in a joint committee, French lawmakers definitively adopted a text this Tuesday, July 21, establishing a minimum age of 15 to access social networks in France. The law is scheduled to take effect on September 1, provided the Constitutional Council—which the Socialists have announced they will “probably” refer the matter to—finds no objection.
Initially, any user wishing to create a new account must provide proof of identity to ensure they are at least 15 years old. Subsequently, by January 1, 2027, platforms will be required to verify the age of all their users. Online encyclopedias, educational or scientific directories, open-source software development platforms, and digital projects with an educational purpose are exempt from this ban.
The Thorny Issue of Age Verification
The vote does not resolve the critical question: how to concretely verify users’ ages? The text does not detail the method platforms must use, leaving it up to them to implement a system. “The large platforms are, in my opinion, largely ready,” estimated Renaissance MP and rapporteur Laure Miller.
The government is banking on a “trusted third-party” system, capable of certifying that an internet user is over or under 15 without transmitting all their identity data to the platforms. Solutions like France Identité or Docaposte are among the tools being considered. However, the scale of the task is immense. Platforms will need to adapt their account creation systems and then ask already registered users to justify their age within months of the law’s entry into force. This technical challenge also involves convincing international groups like Meta, TikTok, or Snap to rapidly deploy these measures in France.
Furthermore, digital specialists know that no age verification solution is foolproof. VPNs, which allow online confidentiality, the use of accounts created by adults, or other workarounds could limit the measure’s effectiveness. The executive branch nonetheless believes this will significantly reduce the youngest users’ exposure.
Compatibility with European Law and Constitutional Risk
Another partially overcome obstacle is that the law passed in France must be compatible with the Digital Services Act (DSA), the European regulation governing large digital platforms. The European Commission had estimated that France could set a minimum age for social media access, while asking for certain mechanisms to be reviewed. This intervention profoundly modified the final version of the text, with the Senate abandoning an initial proposal for a “blacklist” of platforms drawn up by the regulatory authority Arcom.
Despite compromise, the Senate remains cautious, stating that “the risk of non-compliance with the Constitution (…) cannot be excluded.” Several deputies remain skeptical about the law’s implementation. Socialist senator David Ros regretted it was “an unenforceable announcement-effect text,” while Arthur Delaporte, deputy and spokesperson for the Socialist Party, questioned the rush: “Do we prefer a proportionate, adapted, effective ban in a year, or something counter-productive by being rushed in two months?” Centrist senator Laurent Lafon admitted, “Everyone is aware of the text’s limits, both legally and in terms of application.”
The Challenge of Banning Phones in High Schools
The law also includes a ban on mobile phones in high schools, similar to the existing rule in middle schools. The government is aiming for implementation at the start of the school year, in just over a month. However, it will be up to school principals to enforce this ban, with possible sanctions including confiscation of the device until the end of the school day. They must also specify storage arrangements and manage special situations for pedagogical uses or students with specific needs—all within five short weeks.
