Legislation

How Tech Companies Turned Addiction Into a Business Model

Nearly half of all teenagers say they feel addicted to social media. That is not an accident. The platforms they use every day — Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube — were designed to be difficult to put down. In 2026, courts and regulators around the world are beginning to treat this as what it is: a deliberate business strategy built on the attention of children.

Here is what parents need to know about how these platforms work, what the evidence shows, and what is being done about it.

France Votes to Ban Social Media for Children Under 15

France is set to become one of the strictest countries in the world when it comes to protecting children from social media. On April 1, 2026, the French Senate approved a bill that would ban children under 15 from using social media platforms — following a similar vote in the National Assembly in January.

What the Senate Voted On

The bill introduces a two-tier system to keep minors off social media:

The Global Wave of Child Protection Laws in 2026: What Parents Need to Know

Governments around the world are taking unprecedented action to protect children online. In 2026, a wave of new legislation is reshaping how technology companies must treat young users — and what parents can expect from the platforms their children use every day.

Here is what you need to know about the most important child protection laws taking effect this year.