Macron asks European Commission for EU-wide social media ban for children under 15

The request to Brussels

French President Emmanuel Macron has formally asked the European Commission to introduce European Union-wide legislation banning children under 15 from accessing social media platforms. The initiative was detailed in a letter dated 29 August to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which was circulated to media outlets on 8 September. Macron argued that harmonising rules at the European level is necessary to protect young users across all 27 member states, rather than leaving regulatory standards to individual countries. He framed the measure as an urgent step to address growing concerns regarding youth mental health and online safety.

I believe it has now become essential to go further and, through a new European legislative text, harmonise a ban on access to social media platforms for children under the age of 15, in order to protect all children across the Union.

Domestic ruling in France

The diplomatic request follows a legal setback in Paris. On 14 August, the French Constitutional Council struck down the central article of France's domestic legislation just two weeks before it was scheduled to take effect on 1 September. The invalidated bill would have blocked under-15s from platforms including TikTok, Snapchat, X, Instagram, YouTube's social features, WhatsApp, Messenger, and certain online games. The Council ruled that the ban was not suited, necessary, or proportionate to its objective, determining that it unconstitutionally infringed on freedom of expression and communication. The court also found the scope of covered services overly broad and noted that the required age verification lacked adequate safeguards for personal privacy. A separate national restriction on smartphones in lycées was allowed to stand.

Competing approaches across Europe

European governments currently hold differing positions on youth digital regulation. In July, Von der Leyen outlined plans for EU-level action based on recommendations from two experts, who proposed a tiered framework where children under 13 receive limited, supervised access before restrictions ease with age. Macron is advocating for a stricter blanket ban up to age 15 ahead of Von der Leyen's State of the Union address on 16 September. Several other countries have explored similar statutory limits following Australia's adoption of a social media ban for minors under 16 last year. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin confirmed that Ireland is examining restrictions while expressing a preference for an EU-wide measure, with the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, and the United Kingdom also considering bans. Conversely, several Scandinavian governments maintain that digital access decisions are best left to parents.

Dual-track strategy and legislative hurdles

Macron is pursuing both European and domestic paths as he enters the final year of his presidency before the 2027 election, seeking to enact rules before leaving office. In his letter, Macron stated that age verification must rely on robust technical systems that comply with EU data privacy standards. He also urged the Commission to formulate rules that clearly identify and regulate addictive platform mechanics while establishing standard safeguards such as usage time limits. French officials plan to submit revised domestic legislation this autumn designed to conform with both the French constitution and European law. However, efforts to pass a new national bill face political hurdles in Paris due to fragmentation in parliament and difficult budget negotiations.