France may soon ban children under the age of 15 from social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As social media plays an increasingly central role in lives across the globe, some governments have become wary of the effects these platforms could have on young people, leading to a rise in legislation against them. It now looks like France is joining the movement against Facebook and its ilk, which may call the future of online gaming in the country into question.
French President Emmanuel Macron has a history of calling out online platforms for their potential to be a negative influence on the nation’s youth. In 2023, Macron blamed social media and video games for promoting violence after riots began sweeping across France in response to the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old. As these concerns over social sites grow, the president and other members of the French government may be taking a harder stance against them by following Australia’s example of an outright ban for younger users.
Xbox is Now Making Some Users Verify Their Age
Microsoft is rolling out a new policy in one region of the world, now requiring users with Xbox accounts to verify their ages.
On December 31, local French publications began reporting that Macron’s government plans to submit draft legislation for a social media ban in early January, taking effect in September 2026. The law, like the social media ban Australia passed in 2024, would make sites like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram completely inaccessible for younger teenagers, though it would be slightly broader, applying to everyone under 15 instead of under 16. While Macron has not formally announced such a law yet, he did mention wanting to “protect our children and teenagers from social media and screens” in a New Year’s Eve address, and it would align 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 middle school classrooms since 2018, but this new legislation supposedly seeks to bring the same limit to high schools. It’s also worth noting that France already requires social media platforms to obtain parental consent to create accounts for users under the age of 15, so a full ban would have an existing legal basis to expand upon. However, it’s unclear how the nation would enforce the ban or how far it would go. Gaming platforms like Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network were spared from Australia’s ban, but as the lines between social media and gaming blur, it’s uncertain how such legislation would impact video games.
Some gaming services seem like easy targets for a general social media ban. At least nine countries have banned Roblox for varying reasons, often citing child endangerment concerns, although some nations have pointed to issues related to the LGBTQIA+ community, which also faces legal hurdles in some areas. For now, though, it’s too early to say anything for certain about the French law’s impact on gaming, as draft legislation has yet to appear, and there’s currently no word on the possibility of Roblox, PSN, or other gaming-related services falling under the ban.
Gamers may be able to take some confidence in the fact that Macron has shown appreciation for video games as an art form before. The French President recently praised Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for its impressive success, calling it a “shining example of French audacity and creativity.” Still, with many games and gaming-adjacent platforms having social features, it’s unclear where the lines will be drawn if a ban takes effect. If current reports are accurate, it shouldn’t be long before official details emerge, at which point the future of social media and gaming in the country will become clearer.
Source: Reuters
