TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat: Warnings from health professionals and institutions about the effects of social media on adolescent health have multiplied in recent years. The French government is now considering banning these platforms for those under 15. A bill is expected to be debated in Parliament soon, while a legislative proposal has already been submitted by MP Laure Miller (Ensemble pour la République). Australia, for its part, has prohibited access to many platforms for those under 16 since December 10, 2025.
On Tuesday, January 13, France’s National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) published a comprehensive scientific assessment aimed at evaluating the health risks of social media use for adolescents aged 11 to 17. Self-initiated in September 2019, ANSES relied on a group of around 50 experts from various disciplines (including epidemiology, child psychiatry, biology, neuroscience and information science) and more than 1,000 scientific studies, resulting in a substantial 522-page report.
“This wasn’t a matter of analyzing a chemical substance, but a usage pattern – an unprecedented project that lasted five years,” said Olivier Merckel, an ANSES expert, at a press conference. “This study gives scientific credibility to all debates about social media, showing that the health effects are now known and well-documented,” said Olivia Roth-Delgado, who coordinated the review.
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