As France makes headlines for being the first EU country to pass a landmark law banning children under the age of 15 from using social media, Monaco passed a similar resolution in May 2026.
Championed by President Emmanuel Macron, France’s new legislation will begin on 1 September 2026 for new accounts, with all existing underage accounts targeted for closure by January 2027.
Meanwhile, Monaco’s National Council unanimously backed a resolution urging the government to introduce similar protections. Draft No. 36, which is titled “Resolution to protect minors under 15 years of age from the dangers of social networks” was debated in the Principality on Tuesday 12 May and was signed and adopted unanimously.
“Protecting minors from the dangers of social media is no longer an abstract concern. It is now a documented, scientifically measured, and deeply worrying reality for young people,” states the National Council’s draft No. 36.
Sobering Statistics about Monaco’s Youth
The Monegasque Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (IMSEE) surveyed more than 1,300 students in public and private schools in the Principality for the ESPAD Monaco 2024 (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs). The survey reveals that 72.3% of students spend more than two hours a day on social media during school days, and nearly 9 out of 10 students use social media on weekends or during holidays. In the second year of high school (10th grade), more than a third of students spend six hours or more on social media on days off.
“Young people are aware of the risks of online activity. More than two-thirds admit to spending too much time on it. Yet, less than a third of them have benefited from specific prevention efforts regarding the dangers associated with these uses,” states the draft resolution.
The National Council’s draft resolution goes on to state that the “danger of social media for minors does not stem solely from its content (pornography, violence, disinformation and fake news, exposure to child sexual abuse, or cyberbullying) but also from the algorithms deliberately designed to maximize exposure time, directly impacting the vulnerabilities specific to childhood and adolescence.”
Australia was the first country to adopt a law prohibiting minors under the age of 16 from holding a social media account in November 2024. The well-documented effects of social media include attention and sleep disorders, a decline in physical and mental well-being, and an increase in anxiety and depression.
