Macron pushes fast-track plan to ban social media for children under 15 in France

A fast-track push for a September start

French President Emmanuel Macron says he wants the government to accelerate legislation that would ban social media for children under 15, aiming for the measure to take effect in September at the start of the school year. In remarks delivered via a video shared by French broadcaster BFM-TV, Macron argued that young people’s emotional development should not be shaped by commercial platforms or opaque recommendation systems.

Macron’s office told the Associated Press that the message was addressed to lawmaker Laure Miller, who is sponsoring the bill. The proposal was set to be examined by the Senate, and Macron urged the use of an accelerated procedure to move it through the process quickly enough to meet the September target.

Why France is moving now

The AP report says the push follows heightened concern about the mental health effects of social platforms on adolescents, including risks tied to self-esteem and exposure to harmful content. The story also notes that some families in France have pursued legal action against TikTok over teen suicides they say are linked to damaging content. Macron cited the influence of algorithms and the scale of platform power, framing the issue as a protective measure rather than a cultural preference.

Macron also discussed tighter boundaries around phone use in schools, including support for banning mobile phones in high schools. The goal, he said, is to create simpler, enforceable rules for teens, families and educators, rather than leaving every household to negotiate norms alone.

Part of a broader international trend

The AP story places France’s plan within a wider global debate over protecting children online. Other governments have explored age-based restrictions and stronger online safety rules, weighing child protection against privacy, free expression and practical enforcement challenges.

If adopted, France’s approach would be one of the more sweeping age-based restrictions in Europe, and it could influence how other countries consider regulation of youth access, platform accountability and algorithm-driven feeds.