EU member state · European Union
France: cyberbullying law for schools
Bottom line for counselors: Schools must have anti-bullying rules, and those rules cover online bullying. Takedown help is limited, so report harmful posts to the platform first. Serious online abuse can be a crime.
Last verified: checked against official sources on 11 November 2026.
EU member state
France
New 24 August 2026: France extends its phone ban to lycées from 2026/27
School harassment is a crime; phones banned through lycée from 2026.
Compare with anywhere elseProtection score
One point for each of the seven questions answered yes, half a point for partly. Where a rule is set nationally, the national answer counts. A quick guide, not a legal rating.
- Yes:
Do schools have to have anti-bullying rules?
Yes. Every pupil has a legal right to schooling free from harassment, and all schools run the national pHARe anti-bullying programme.
Legal detail and sources
Code de l'éducation, article L511-3-1 (Education Code). Loi n° 2022-299 du 2 mars 2022 visant à combattre le harcèlement scolaire (Law of 2 March 2022 to combat school harassment).
- Yes:
Do those rules cover online bullying?
Yes. School harassment includes online harassment.
- Partly:
Is there a regulator that can get harmful posts taken down?
Partly. Under the EU Digital Services Act, platforms must act on reports of illegal content, trusted flaggers get priority, and you can complain to the national Digital Services Coordinator. There is no national body that orders individual posts down for bullying alone.
Legal detail and sources
The national Safer Internet Centre runs a helpline that can escalate cases to platforms. In France, Arcom is the Digital Services Coordinator and the 3018 helpline (e-Enfance) can get harmful content removed quickly.
- Partly:
Is there a minimum age for social media?
No ban in force. Children can sign up to apps that use their data from age 15 without a parent's consent. Parliament voted to ban social media for under-15s in July 2026, but the Constitutional Council struck that part down in August 2026.
Legal detail and sources
This is the 'digital age of consent' each country sets under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), article 8. An EU KIDS Act proposed in September 2026 would bar under-13s from social media EU-wide and set 15 as the age for a child's own account; it is not yet law.
- Yes:
What are the rules on phones at school?
Phones are banned in primary schools and collèges (ages 11 to 15), and from 2026/27 in lycées (upper secondary) too.
Legal detail and sources
Loi du 24 août 2026 visant à protéger les mineurs des risques auxquels les expose l'utilisation des réseaux sociaux (Law of 24 August 2026 to protect minors from the risks of social media) amended article L511-5 of the Education Code. Schools may allow exceptions in their rules.
- Yes:
When is online abuse a crime?
Yes. School harassment is a specific crime, punishable by up to 10 years in prison if it leads the victim to suicide or attempted suicide.
Legal detail and sources
Code pénal, article 222-33-2-3 (Criminal Code), created by the 2022 law.
- Partly:
What guidance do staff and counselors get?
Guidance comes from the education ministry and the national Safer Internet Centre, which offers a helpline and resources for schools.
Legal detail and sources
The EU's 2026 Action plan against cyberbullying promises more training and resources for schools.
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