Emmanuel Macron now wants to take his plan to ban social media access for those under 15 to the European level. In a letter to Ursula von der Leyen , dated August 29 and revealed on Monday, the French president calls for a "European text" to "protect all children in the Union".
This initiative comes after the Constitutional Council 's decision on August 14, which struck down the central provision of the French law aimed at banning social media access for those under 15. The law was nevertheless enacted on August 24 without this measure, while Emmanuel Macron asked the government to prepare a new draft that is legally compatible with the Constitution and European law.
"The urgency is real."
In his letter to the President of the European Commission , Emmanuel Macron states his desire to "find a way forward this autumn" with a new French text, but considers European harmonization now essential. He specifically wants to implement robust age verification systems while guaranteeing the protection of personal data.
The president had already made this measure one of the hallmarks of the end of his five-year term. In June, he said he hoped to prevent the creation of new accounts for those under 15 from the start of the school year, and then gradually close existing accounts. He justifies this ban by citing the risks associated with cyberbullying, isolation, insecurities, and the effects of these platforms on adolescent development.
France has been seeking for several months to build a European coalition on this issue. Emmanuel Macron states that around fifteen countries have already moved closer to this position, although disagreements remain on the exact age to be adopted. His objective remains to finalize this reform before the end of his term in spring 2027.
