France may soon ban children under 15 from accessing social networks such as facebook, Twitter and Instagram. As social media plays an increasingly important role in lives around the world, some governments have become concerned about the effects these platforms could have on young people, leading to an increase in legislation against them. Now it looks like France is joining a movement against Facebook and its ilk that could cast doubt on the future of online gaming in the country.
French President Emmanuel Macron has a history of calling out online platforms for their potential to negatively influence the country's youth. In 2023, Macron accused social media and video games of promoting violence after unrest spread across France in response to the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old. As these concerns about social sites grow, the president and other members of the French government may take a tougher stance on them by following Australia's example of a total ban on younger users.
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On December 31, local French publications began reporting that Macron's government plans to introduce legislation to ban social media in early January, which will take effect in September 2026. The law, like Australia's social media ban passed in 2024, would make sites like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram completely inaccessible to younger teenagers, though it would be slightly broader, instead not covering everyone, according to Macro16. however, the law mentioned that it wanted to “protect our children and teenagers from social media and screens” in a New Year's Eve speech, and it would be in line with policies already enacted by the current French administration.
The reported ban would also extend restrictions on mobile phones in the French school system. France has banned phones in primary and secondary school classrooms since 2018, but this new legislation is reportedly seeking to introduce the same limit to secondary schools. It's also worth noting that France already requires social media platforms to get parental consent to create accounts for users under 15, so a total ban would have an existing legal basis that could be expanded upon. However, it is unclear how the nation would enforce the ban or how far it would go. Gaming platforms such as Xbox Live and PlayStation Network have been spared the Australian ban, but as the lines between social media and gaming blur, it is uncertain how such legislation would affect video games.
Some gaming services seem like easy targets for a blanket ban on social media. At least nine countries have banned it Roblox for various reasons, often citing child endangerment concerns, although some states have pointed to issues related to the LGBTQIA+ community, which also faces legal barriers in some areas. However, at this point it is too early to say anything with certainty about the impact of the French law on gambling, as the bill has not yet appeared and there is currently no word on the possibility RobloxPSN or other gaming-related services subject to the ban.
Gamers can take some credence from the fact that Macron has previously shown an appreciation for video games as an art form. The French president recently praised Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for his impressive success, calling him “a shining example of French audacity and creativity”. Since many games and gaming platforms have social features, it is unclear where the boundaries will be if the ban goes into effect. If current reports are accurate, it shouldn't be long before official details emerge, making the future of social media and gaming in the country clearer.
Source: Reuters
