Macron pushes for fast-track ban on social media for children under 15

PARIS – French President Emmanuel Macron said he wants his government to speed up the legal process to ensure a social media ban on children under 15 can come into force in September, at the start of the next school year.

In a video published late Saturday by French broadcaster BFM-TV, Macron said he wanted his government to initiate an expedited procedure so that the proposed law could move as quickly as possible and pass the Senate on time.

“The brains of our children and youth are not for sale,” Macron said. “The emotions of our children and youth cannot be sold or manipulated. Neither by American platforms nor by Chinese algorithms.”

Macron’s announcement comes just days after the British government said it would consider banning young teenagers from social media while tightening laws designed to protect children from harmful content and excessive screen time.

According to France’s health watchdog, one in every two young people spends two to five hours a day on a smartphone. A report published in December said nearly 90% of children ages 12 to 17 use smartphones every day to access the internet, while 58% use their devices for social networking.

The report highlighted a range of harmful effects resulting from the use of social networks, including reduced self-confidence and increased exposure to content associated with risky behavior such as self-harm, drug use and suicide. Several families in France have sued TikTok over teenage suicides that they say are linked to harmful content.
Macron’s office told The Associated Press that the video was sent to lawmaker Laure Miller, who sponsored the bill, which will be reviewed at a public hearing on Monday. “We are banning social media for under 15s and we will ban mobile phones in our high schools,” Macron said. “I believe it’s a clear rule. It’s clear for our youth, it’s clear for families, it’s clear for teachers, and we’re moving forward.”

Social media companies in Australia have revoked access to approximately 4.7 million accounts determined to belong to children since the country banned the use of platforms by people under 16, authorities said. The law has sparked alarming debates about technology use, privacy, child safety and mental health in Australia, and has encouraged other countries to take similar measures.