France on the way to ban social media for children below 15 years, India to join in: Macron

Emmanuel Macron

• France plans to ban social media for children under 15 by 2026
• India may restrict social media access for those under 16
• Australia bans under-16s from social media starting December 2025

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French President Emmanuel Macron, who delivered a keynote address on Day 4 of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, said that the French government is embarking to ban social networks for children aged below 15 years.

Stating that protecting children is not not regulation but all about protecting civilisation, Macron said, "India will join such an order to protect children and teenagers to ensure young citizens are truly safe."

Calling AI is a powerful accelerator for productivity, Macron said, “Europe is a space for innovation and investment, but it is a safe space and safe spaces win in the long run…France and India share a common vision.. A sovereign AI used to protect our planet and to foster prosperity for all…AI that doesn't understand dialects is not AI for all…Last year in Paris, we called it action. This year in Delhi, we call it impact.”

In January, France approved a bill that would ban children under 15 from using social media, a move supported by President Emmanuel Macron to limit screen time and protect young users. The proposed law will now go to the Senate for approval before it can come into force.

Once passed, France would become the second country after Australia to restrict social media use for minors. The government wants the rules to apply from the start of the 2026 school year in September for new accounts. Existing accounts that do not meet the age limit would be closed later in the year.

Where India stands 

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, the Union government is considering restricting social media access for those aged below 16, by amending the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.

According to sources, the the government is looking at the Australian model, although it is not considering a complete ban (for those under 16), like that country.

On Tuesday, IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a press conference that the government is holding consultations with various social media platforms on age-based restrictions.

Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi harped on the need to make the AI space safe for children and guided by family on Day 4 of the AI Impact Summit. The Economic Survey, released in January this year, also recommended age-based restrictions on digital platforms, warning that compulsive screen use among young people is imposing measurable economic and social costs on the country.

According to the HT report, currently, there is no law in India that prohibits children below a certain age from accessing social media. However, under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, social media platforms must obtain verifiable parental consent before processing personal data of anyone under 18.

That indirectly limits use by minors because platforms typically rely on parental permission to legally handle a child’s data. This means platforms can’t freely collect data on children, or target ads at them without parental permission.

Some Indian states such as Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are considering Australia-style age bans for under-16s, although it isn’t clear how they will be able to implement this.

What is the Australia style ban for under-16s

From 10 December 2025, anyone under 16 in Australia cannot keep or make accounts on social media apps. The rule doesn’t punish young people or their families, instead, social media companies have to stop under-16s from having accounts or risk serious fines (up to about $50 million).

The 10 social media apps where children below 16 can't keep accounts include Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, Reddit and streaming platforms Kick and Twitch.

The government says the social media ban is needed to protect the mental health and wellbeing of Australian children and teens. They believe the risks of social media, such as cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators, outweigh the positives.