Macron Advocates for EU-Wide Social Media Ban for Children Under 15

Macron advocates for a Europe-wide prohibition on social media for individuals under 15, highlighting worries regarding their mental well-being and safety online.

French President Emmanuel Macron has advocated for European Union legislation aimed at restricting social media access for children under 15, urging the bloc to establish a uniform minimum age across its 27 member states.

Macron has requested that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen endorse EU-wide regulations that would set 15 as the minimum age for social media usage.

In a letter addressed to von der Leyen on August 29, Macron contended that it was essential to take action at the European level following the Constitutional Council's rejection of France's attempt to implement similar national restrictions.

Protecting children from the potential risks linked to social media has emerged as a significant focus for Macron, in light of increasing worries regarding the platforms’ effects on the mental health and online safety of young individuals.

Nonetheless, Macron’s proposal encounters resistance from certain EU nations, especially in Scandinavia, where officials contend that parents ought to hold the main responsibility for determining when their children can engage with social media.


Macron is pursuing backing from other EU governments for more stringent restrictions as France nears its 2027 presidential election, set to occur following his second and final term in office.

The French president has stated that France will revisit its previously rejected legislation and aim to create a new national framework to limit children's access to social media.

In July, von der Leyen stated that the EU was considering measures to restrict young children's access to social media.

The European Commission is evaluating expert recommendations that propose age-based restrictions, which would include limited and supervised access for children under 13, gradually allowing more freedom as they age.

Macron is promoting a more stringent policy that would restrict access to social media until children turn 15.