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, when the school year begins next year.

In a video broadcast Saturday evening by French channel BFM-TV, Macron said he had asked his government to initiate an accelerated procedure so that the bill could move forward as quickly as possible and be adopted by the Senate on time.

“The brains of our children and adolescents are not for sale,” Macron said. “The emotions of our children and adolescents are not for sale or manipulation. 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 as part of strengthening laws to protect children from harmful content and excessive screen time.

According to the National Health Office, one in two adolescents spends between two and five hours a day on their smartphone. In a report released in December, approximately 90% of children aged 12 to 17 use their smartphones daily to access the Internet, and 58% of them use their device for social media.

The report highlights a range of harmful effects arising from the use of social media, including loss of self-esteem and increased exposure to content associated with risky behaviors 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 addressed to MP Laure Miller, who is sponsoring the bill which will be considered in public session on Monday.

“We are banning social media for those under 15 and we are going to ban cell phones in our high schools,” Macron said. “I think it’s a clear rule. Clear for our teenagers, clear for families, clear for teachers, and we move forward.”

In Australia, social media companies have revoked access to about 4.7 million accounts identified as belonging to children since the country banned the use of such platforms by those under 16, officials said. The law has sparked heated debates in Australia over technology use, privacy, child safety and mental health and has prompted other countries to consider similar measures.