Emmanuel Macron calls for a European ban on children under 15 accessing social media platforms

French President Emmanuel Macron wants access to social media platforms to be banned across Europe for people under 15 and has announced that he will propose new legislation for France this autumn. The initiative comes after France’s Constitutional Council overturned the law adopted for this purpose in August.

In a letter dated August 29, Macron says France must quickly find a way forward through revised legislation compatible with European Union law and the French Constitution. The president is asking the European Commission’s services to once again make their expertise available after the draft is submitted.

Macron argues that a national ban should be operational before the end of his term, next spring. However, he is calling for legislation to be harmonized across the EU, where several countries support the introduction of a “digital majority,” although differences remain over the minimum age.

The French president is also calling for robust age-verification solutions that respect privacy rules. At the same time, he is proposing regulations for features that create dependency and the introduction of safety measures by default, including limits on the time spent online.} lang: en