France has become the first European country to pass legislation banning social media for users under 15 years old. Parliament approved the law on Tuesday, with phased implementation: from September 2025 for new accounts, and from January 2027 for all existing accounts. The law requires platforms to implement age verification approved by France's personal data protection regulator, which will affect the entire social media audience in the country and change how brands approach influencer advertising.
How the social media ban will work in France
The law provides for two-stage implementation. From September 2025, users under 15 will not be able to create new accounts — age verification will become mandatory during registration. In eighteen months, January 2027, the requirement will extend to all active profiles: every social media user in France will have to confirm they are 15 years old or older.
Platforms are required to use age verification tools approved by the national regulator. Digital Technology Minister Anne Le Hénaff stated that verification technologies already exist and are effective, however experts point to risks for data privacy and the possibility of restrictions being circumvented by teenagers using VPNs or fake documents.
Australia's experience: lessons for influencer advertising and brands
Australia introduced a similar ban for users under 16 in December last year. Three months later, the online safety commission found that seven out of ten teenagers who had accounts before the ban retained access to the platforms. Curtin University internet research professor Tama Leaver called the Australian approach a technical failure, but acknowledged its value as proof that such measures can be implemented.
The French model may be more effective thanks to mandatory verification for all users, but this increases privacy risks, experts note.
Leaver pointed to a key mistake by Australian authorities: teenagers were not included in discussions about the law, the ban was imposed unilaterally. Side effects include young people moving to less regulated online spaces, reduced news consumption, and decreased political participation. For brands, this means the teenage audience is shifting to platforms where it's harder to control reach and measure advertising integration effectiveness.
Impact on the influencer advertising market
The ban on social media for minors reduces the official audience of platforms and changes the consumer profile. Brands targeting family audiences or products for teenagers lose direct communication channels through influencers on social media. Simultaneously, the value of bloggers working with parent audiences grows — they become intermediaries between the brand and end consumers under 15.
CPM in the 18–35 age segment may increase due to redistribution of advertising budgets. Media plans will require adjustments: traditional integrations with youth-focused bloggers in France lose part of their reach, while demand strengthens for formats where parents make purchasing decisions for children — product reviews, family vlogs, educational content.
What's happening in the rest of Europe
The United Kingdom announced a ban on social media for teenagers under 16 starting January 2027. Prime Minister Keir Starmer also proposed a voluntary "curfew" for 16–17-year-old users — restricting access after midnight. In May, European Commission Chair Ursula von der Leyen announced preparations for EU-wide legislation on delaying children's access to social media, with new regulations potentially emerging in the coming months.
For international brands, this is a signal to reconsider their promotion strategy in Europe. Influencer advertising requires more sophisticated segmentation: instead of mass reach through popular teen bloggers, the focus shifts to audience quality and purchasing power. Media buying becomes more complex in such conditions — agencies must forecast KPIs accounting for legal restrictions and actual, not declared, audience age distribution. The ETC team adapts media plans to legislative changes, selecting bloggers with verified audience demographics and building efficiency forecasts based on current reach and engagement data.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum age for social media in France
From January 2027, the minimum age for using social media in France will be 15 years old. Before that, from September 2025, the ban will apply only to new accounts, while existing profiles will remain accessible until full verification implementation.
How does the social media ban affect influencer advertising
The ban reduces the official audience of platforms and changes reach structure: brands lose direct access to teenagers through influencers, but the role of bloggers working with parent audiences strengthens. Media plans require adjustment considering the new demographics and CPM changes in the 18+ segment.
Which countries have banned social media for children
Australia banned social media for users under 16 in December 2024, France introduced restrictions for those under 15 from January 2027. The United Kingdom plans a similar ban for those under 16 starting January 2027, and the European Union is preparing common legislation to limit children's access to platforms.
In brief
- France is the first European country to ban social media for users under 15 — the law is being phased in from September 2025
- All social media users in France will have to undergo age verification by January 2027
- Australia's experience showed: 70% of teenagers retained access to platforms after the ban was introduced, the effectiveness of technical measures is questionable
- The UK and the EU are preparing similar restrictions — the trend toward legislative regulation of children's access to social media is spreading across Europe
- Brands lose direct communication channels with teenage audiences, the value of bloggers with parent audiences grows, requiring a review of media plans and KPI forecasts
* Instagram and Facebook are owned by Meta, recognized as an extremist organization; its activities are banned in the Russian Federation.
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