Emmanuel Macron Moves to Ban Social Media for Children Under 15, Tightening Restrictions Within Schools
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced his government’s intent to expedite the preparation of new legislation that would ban the use of social media for children under the age of 15. This move has sparked widespread debate within political and educational circles in France and beyond.
Macron explained that this initiative is part of efforts to protect the mental health of children and adolescents, amid growing warnings about the negative effects of excessive use of social media, including anxiety, depression, and online bullying, as well as declining focus and academic performance.
In this context, the French president also revealed parallel measures aimed at tightening restrictions on mobile phone usage within educational institutions, particularly in high schools, to reduce distractions in classrooms and improve the quality of learning and interaction between students and educators.
According to circulating information, the forthcoming bill mandates social media platforms to implement strict age verification mechanisms, prohibiting the creation of accounts or access to these platforms for children under 15, with penalties imposed on entities that fail to comply with these requirements.
This initiative comes amid a growing European and international trend, as several countries begin reviewing their digital policies concerning child protection, with increasing calls to reorganize the digital space and mitigate its risks for vulnerable groups.
Although the bill is still under discussion in the French parliament and has not yet come into effect, Macron’s government aims to ratify it as soon as possible, with plans to implement it during the upcoming school seasons.
Observers believe that this step could set a legislative precedent, prompting other countries, both European and Arab, to consider adopting similar measures to regulate technology use within educational environments and protect young people from digital pitfalls.
