France has become the first European Union country to ban social media for children under 15 after lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the measure.

Starting in September, children under 15 will be blocked from creating new accounts on platforms like TikTok and Snapchat, while existing accounts will be disabled in January 2027, alongside new age verification requirements.

The law also bans high school students from using phones at school beginning next year, expanding restrictions already in place for younger students.

President Emmanuel Macron said the legislation is designed to better protect children and follows growing concerns about social media’s impact on young people’s mental health, CBS News has reported.

France is now the second country in the world, after Australia, to introduce a nationwide social media ban for children, with several other countries considering similar measures.