Macron Calls for EU-Wide Ban on Social Media for Children Under 15

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a European Union-wide ban on social media for children under the age of 15.

The push comes after France’s Constitutional Council struck down a similar national bill this summer, just before it was set to take effect. With domestic options stalled, Macron has turned to Brussels. In a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he argued that a bloc-wide law is now the only way to ensure consistent protection.

“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,” Macron wrote.

The debate over youth screen time is gaining global momentum. Following landmark bans in countries like Australia, several European nations are considering similar curbs amid growing concern over the impact of social media on young people’s mental health and safety.

However, the EU remains deeply divided on the best approach. While von der Leyen has previously suggested a tiered system allowing limited, supervised access for children under 13 and easing restrictions as they grow older, Macron is pushing for a much stricter, blanket ban. Meanwhile, some nations, particularly in Scandinavia, argue that these decisions should remain firmly in the hands of parents, not politicians.

For Macron, this issue has become a defining priority in his final year in office ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. He has been actively lobbying other EU governments to back the restrictions, even as political fragmentation at home makes passing a new French law increasingly difficult.

The real battle has now shifted to Brussels. The question is no longer just about whether children need protection from the endless scroll, but whether 27 different nations with different values can agree on how to lock the digital door.