France has become the first European Union nation to approve a nationwide ban preventing children under the age of 15 from holding social media accounts. The move follows Australia's world-first legislation, which requires major social media platforms to prevent children under 16 from creating or maintaining accounts.

As other countries consider similar laws, Australia has effectively become the global test case. The question now is not simply whether the legislation was well intentioned, but whether it is achieving its aims.

Why Australia Introduced the Ban

The Australian Government argued that social media platforms had become increasingly difficult for parents to manage and that children were being exposed to cyberbullying, harmful content, addictive algorithms, sleep disruption and mental health pressures at increasingly younger ages. The legislation placed responsibility on the platforms themselves rather than on parents or schools.

Public concern had been building for years following several high-profile cases involving online bullying and youth mental health.

Among the tragedies that shaped public debate was the death of 14-year-old Dolly Everett in 2018. While Dolly's death did not directly lead to the legislation, it became a powerful symbol of the consequences that online bullying can have on young Australians and helped sustain public pressure for stronger online safety measures.

Has It Worked?

The answer, six months into the new regime, is nuanced.

On one hand, regulators report that platforms acted quickly. Preliminary figures indicate approximately 4.7 million under-16 accounts were removed, restricted or deactivated shortly after the law came into effect in December 2025.

That demonstrates the legislation has had a tangible impact on platform behaviour.

However, there is also clear evidence that many young people continue to access social media.

Surveys reported by the eSafety Commissioner indicate many parents say their children still maintain active accounts, while teenagers themselves openly acknowledge that workarounds remain available. Researchers are continuing to examine how children bypass age verification systems and whether platforms can improve enforcement.

What About Schools?

Teachers and principals have long argued that smartphones and social media have contributed to distraction, bullying and conflict spilling into classrooms.

Although it remains early, many educators report that reducing social media use outside school has the potential to lessen some of these daily issues.

Whether classroom behaviour has measurably improved across Australia remains under formal evaluation, with long-term studies now underway.

Why France Is Following

France's legislation reflects many of the same concerns expressed in Australia.

French lawmakers cited anxiety, depression, cyberbullying, sleep disruption and exposure to harmful content as reasons for introducing the under-15 restriction. Like Australia, France will require platforms to verify users' ages rather than simply asking them to self-declare.

Other European governments are watching closely, suggesting Australia may have started a broader international policy movement.

The Challenges Ahead

The greatest challenge remains enforcement.

Age verification technology continues to improve, but determined young users often find ways around restrictions. Regulators also face the difficult task of balancing child protection with privacy concerns surrounding identity verification.

For governments, success may ultimately be measured less by whether every child is prevented from accessing social media and more by whether harmful exposure is significantly reduced across the population.

The Times View

Australia's social media restrictions were never likely to be a perfect solution. They were designed to shift responsibility from parents to the technology companies that built highly engaging platforms for children.

The early evidence suggests the law has changed platform behaviour, but not yet eliminated underage access. That does not necessarily mean the policy has failed. Seatbelt laws did not eliminate road deaths overnight, yet few would argue they were not worthwhile.

As France adopts a similar approach and other nations consider following, Australia's experience will increasingly serve as the benchmark. The real test will come over the next several years, when researchers can determine whether today's restrictions lead to measurable improvements in young people's mental health, school life and overall wellbeing.