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As of 4 October 2026, France has no blanket ban on social media for children under 15. Parents can, however, withhold the authorization required for a child under 15 to register with a covered social-network provider operating in France, ask that provider to suspend the child’s account, and use parental controls on connected devices. These are separate measures with different reach.
What happened to France’s proposed under-15 ban?
The law promulgated on 24 August 2026 did not put the proposed blanket prohibition into effect. Article 1, which would have barred under-15s from accessing social networks, was declared contrary to the Constitution by the Constitutional Council on 14 August 2026; the enacted law identifies that article as nonconforming. Other provisions survived, including provisions concerning phone use in schools, but they do not establish a national parental power to block every social-media service.
In Decision no. 2026-911 DC, the Council found that the proposed rule could cover services whose risks to minors had not been established, did not let a parent or legal representative lift or limit the prohibition in the child’s interest, and made no individual assessment based on maturity, family circumstances, or the service involved. It also raised concerns about requiring all users, including adults, to prove their age without adequate safeguards being defined. The Council concluded that the restriction was not adapted, necessary, and proportionate to its aim.
Can a parent authorize or refuse an under-15 account?
Yes, for registration with an online social-network service covered by the 2023 law and operating in France. Article 6-7 of Law no. 2023-566 of 7 July 2023 requires the provider to refuse registration of a child under 15 unless a holder of parental authority expressly authorizes it. The rule makes parental authorization a condition for the covered registration; it is not a general statutory ban on children using every online service.
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The law also requires providers to seek express authorization for relevant existing accounts as soon as practicable. It requires information for children and holders of parental authority about the risks of digital use and ways to prevent them. The law does not establish a single universal process or guarantee how quickly a particular provider will act, so check the provider’s current account or reporting procedure rather than assuming a particular menu or form.
Can a parent ask a platform to suspend an account?
Yes. Article 6-7 expressly allows a holder of parental authority to ask a social-network provider to suspend an under-15 child’s account. This is a request to the provider under the law, distinct from refusing authorization for a new registration or blocking an app on a device. The provision does not say that suspension is the same as permanent deletion.
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Use the provider’s current account-management or reporting channel and identify your role as a holder of parental authority. The statute establishes the ability to make the request, but the official material does not establish one standard process shared by all platforms.
How do the available options differ?
| Option | Scope | Who acts | Effect and practical limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Withhold authorization | Registration with a covered social-network provider operating in France | Holder of parental authority and provider | The provider must refuse an under-15 registration without express authorization. It is not a device-wide block or a ban on every online service. |
| Request suspension | The child’s account with the provider | Holder of parental authority asks the provider | The law gives the holder the right to request suspension; the provider’s current procedure may vary. |
| Use device parental controls | Apps and content on a configured connected device | Parent or device owner configures the controls | Controls can block age-restricted app downloads and access to restricted content already installed. They do not themselves create a legal ban and may not cover other devices or accounts. |
| Joint consent for certain data processing | A covered online-service processing choice based on non-contractual consent | Under-15 child and holder of parental authority | Both must consent in the specified context; this is not a general rule governing account access. |
What can device parental controls block?
French rules require connected devices sold in France to offer an accessible parental-control system, with activation offered free at first setup. Under Decree no. 2023-588 of 11 July 2023, the minimum functions include blocking downloads from app stores when an app is age-restricted and blocking access to restricted content already installed. The minimum controls must operate locally without collecting or processing the child’s personal data on servers.
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These controls are a household technical measure, not a substitute for the provider duties under the 2023 law. They apply to the device on which they are configured, so they may not reach a child’s other phone, tablet, computer, or account. Broader controls should also be assessed for privacy and the child’s autonomy, as the CNIL advises.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When does the under-15 joint-consent rule apply?
CNIL guidance concerns online-service data processing based on consent where that consent is not needed to perform a contract. In this specific context, an under-15 child and a holder of parental rights must consent jointly. CNIL’s examples include choosing to make a profile public or enabling optional geolocation. Neither the child nor the parent can override the other’s objection to that processing.
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CNIL says that for this kind of usual parental-authority act, one holder’s express consent can in principle suffice; the other holder is presumed to agree but must have an opportunity to object. This guidance, published on 9 August 2021, should not be read as a universal account-access veto or as a rule for every contract, service, or disagreement about parental authority.
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- A child wants to create a covered new account: decide whether to give the express authorization required for registration.
- An under-15 child already has an account: use the provider’s process to request suspension if that is the measure you want.
- You want to restrict app downloads or installed content at home: configure the connected device’s parental controls and consider which other devices or accounts the child can use.
- The issue is an optional privacy setting such as a public profile or geolocation: check whether the specific data processing relies on non-contractual consent and apply the joint-consent rule only within that scope.
The main legal sources are Law no. 2026-813 of 24 August 2026, Constitutional Council Decision no. 2026-911 DC of 14 August 2026, Law no. 2023-566 of 7 July 2023, Decree no. 2023-588 of 11 July 2023, and CNIL guidance published on 31 July 2023 and 9 August 2021. This is general information about the French framework, not advice on an individual family’s legal situation.
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