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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Technology
Anthony Cuthbertson

The countries set to follow France in banning social media for children

A teenager looks at her smartphone in Brussels on 7 July, 2026 - (AFP/Getty)

Children under the age of 15 will no longer be exposed to doomscrolling and algorithmic feeds in France after it became the first country in the European Union to approve a blanket ban on social media.

French lawmakers approved a law on Tuesday that will require apps like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to enforce age checks for all users from January 2027.

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