The bill aimed at restricting access to social networks for those under 15 years of age passed a key stage on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Examined in committee at the National Assembly, the text put forward by Gabriel Attal's group was completely revised to adapt to the requirements of the Council of State and European law.

A semantic shift to remain legal

The initial version planned to require platforms to refuse registration to those under 15. However, the Council of State pointed out that the European Digital Services Regulation ( DSA ) prohibits member states from imposing new direct obligations on platforms.

To circumvent this obstacle, rapporteur Laure Miller (Renaissance) proposed a "drafting device" which was approved by the members of parliament:

1. The ban no longer applies to the platform, but to the user. The text now stipulates that it is "prohibited for minors" under the age of 15 to access the service.
2. Indirect consequence: Under European law, if a platform allows a minor to violate this prohibition, it becomes liable to sanctions.

A "two-tiered" ban

The Council of State feared that a blanket ban would penalize educational or mutual aid tools. The new system is therefore divided into two categories:

1. Total ban: This will apply to networks deemed harmful to "physical, mental, or moral" well-being. A precise list will be established by decree after consultation with Arcom (likely targeting TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, or X).
2. Parental authorization: This will remain the rule for social networks that do not present major risks (educational tools, school exchange platforms, etc.).

"It is no longer a general ban, but a ban on dangerous social networks," summarized Socialist MP Arthur Delaporte, while remaining cautious about the technical feasibility of the measure.

The abandoned measures

Under pressure from the Council of State, the deputies backtracked on certain measures deemed disproportionate:

1. Removal of the digital curfew: The idea of prohibiting access to networks between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. for 15-18 year olds has been abandoned due to a lack of sufficient legal justification.

Next steps

The debates continue in committee this Wednesday. The text will then be discussed in the plenary session starting January 26. The majority will, however, have to contend with competition from other similar texts, notably a bill tabled by the Government and a proposal from the Senate.