Macron called for a ban on social media for children under 15 across the entire EU
Emmanuel Macron sent a letter to the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, proposing a ban on social media for children under 15 across the entire EU to protect children's mental health. Earlier, the Constitutional Council of France had struck down a national bill of similar substance.
Macron called for a ban on social media for children under 15 across the entire EU
French President Emmanuel Macron urged the European Commission to support an initiative to ban social media for children under 15 across the entire European Union.
In a letter sent to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen dated August 29, Macron wrote that introducing a union-wide ban through new EU legislation has now become an urgent matter.
This was prompted by the French Constitutional Council overturning a national bill in the summer that was scheduled to take effect in September. In July, the French parliament had approved a law banning social media use for children under 15, making the country the first in the EU to adopt such a restriction.
"I believe it has become necessary to take a more decisive step in this regard to protect all children in the Union and to establish a uniform procedure through a new European legislative act to restrict access to social media platforms for children under 15," Macron wrote.
Following a landmark decision in Australia last year to ban social media for children, several European countries are also considering introducing their own restrictions due to growing concerns over the impact of social media on youth mental health and safety. However, some countries, particularly Scandinavian nations, believe it is preferable to leave this to the discretion of parents.
Macron, currently serving the final year of his term as French president, has set this issue as a priority ahead of the next presidential elections in 2027. He stated that France would separately re-draft the bill overturned by the Constitutional Council, but political fragmentation in parliament and complex budget negotiations could complicate the process of passing the new law.
In July, relying on recommendations for a multi-stage system proposed by two experts, Von der Leyen indicated that the European Union would take steps to restrict social media use for young children across the 27 member states. According to this approach, children under 13 would only be granted limited and supervised access, with restrictions being gradually eased as they grow older.