France is taking steps to ban social media for children under the age of 15, with President Macron pressing lawmakers to fast-track the legislation as nations across the globe tighten regulations on children’s screen time.
In a video published late Saturday by broadcaster BFM-TV, Macron stated that he had instructed his government to utilize an expedited legislative process to ensure the bill passes Parliament and receives Senate approval before the upcoming school year commences in September.
“The brains of our children and teenagers are not for sale,” Macron declared. “The emotions of our children and teenagers should not be sold or manipulated—whether by American platforms or Chinese algorithms.”
Macron’s initiative follows closely on the heels of the European Union announcing it is exploring similar restrictions as it strengthens rules to shield children from harmful online content and excessive screen usage.
France’s health authority notes that half of all teenagers spend between two and five hours daily on social media. A December study revealed that approximately 90% of children aged 12 to17 use smartphones every day to go online, with 58% using them specifically for social media purposes.
The agency has warned of connections between excessive social media use and mental health issues, along with greater exposure to content related to risky behaviors such as self-harm, drug use and suicide.
Multiple U.S. states have filed lawsuits against TikTok, claiming the platform exposed teenagers to harmful content linked to suicide.
Macron’s office informed The Associated Press that the video message was directed at lawmaker Laure Miller, who is sponsoring the bill scheduled for public discussion on Monday.
“We are prohibiting social media for those under 15, and we will also ban mobile phones in our high schools,” Macron stated. “This is a clear rule—clear for our teenagers, clear for families, clear for teachers—and we are making progress on it.”
This step would mirror Australia’s action, as the country implemented a ban on social media access for children under16 in December, limiting entry to platforms like Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
Digital’s Bonny Chu and