‘Our children’s brains are not for sale’: Macron says France to fast-track ban on social media for under-15s
In a video released by French broadcaster BFM-TV, Macron said he has asked his government to initiate an accelerated procedure in order for the proposed law to move swiftly.
The announcement by Macron comes a few days after the British government said it will consider banning young teenagers from social media.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said that his government wants to fast track the legal process to ensure that a ban on social media for children under the age of 15 comes into effect in September when the new session of the schools begins.
In a video released by French broadcaster BFM-TV, Macron said he has asked his government to initiate an accelerated procedure in order for the proposed law to move swiftly and that it gets passed in time by the Senate ahead of the start of the next school year.
“The brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale. The emotions of our children and our teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated. Neither by American platforms, nor by Chinese algorithms,” the French president said.
The announcement by Macron comes a few days after the British government said it will consider banning young teenagers from social media as the UK tightens laws to protect children from excessive screen time and harmful content.
A growing number of Western countries are following the suit to restrict social media for young people, following Australia’s landmark law which was enacted in December that has banned teens under the age of 16 from having accounts on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms.
A report by France’s health watchdog states that one in every two teenagers in the country spends two to five hours a day on smartphones. The report, published in December, stated that about 90% children in France aged between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, and 58% of them use their respective devices for social media, AP reported.
“We are banning social media for under-15s, and we are going to ban mobile phones in our high schools. I believe this is a clear rule. Clear for our teenagers, clear for families, clear for teachers, and we are moving forward,” Macron said.
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The announcement by Macron comes a few days after the British government said it will consider banning young teenagers from social media. 
