France to ban social media for under-15 soon, Says Macron
The French government is also taking swift steps to address youth violence.
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French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that France will soon ban children under the age of 15 from accessing social media platforms, part of a broader push to address growing concerns about the impact of digital platforms on youth and rising violence involving minors.
“I am proposing banning social media for children under 15,” Macron posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday evening. “Platforms have the ability to verify age. Let’s do it.” He added that the law would come into effect in the “coming months.”
The announcement follows similar action in Australia, which earlier this year banned social media access for those under 16. France has joined Spain and Greece in backing an EU-wide framework to regulate children’s access to online platforms, citing growing evidence that social media usage negatively affects young people's mental and physical health. However, Macron said France would proceed alone if the European Union delays action. “We cannot wait,” he told broadcaster France 2.
The French government is also taking steps to address youth violence in the country. In a separate move, Macron said France will impose an immediate ban on the sale of knives to minors. The measure follows the fatal stabbing of a 31-year-old school assistant by a 14-year-old student during a bag search in Nogent in eastern France, an incident that has deeply shocked the nation.
"A 15-year-old will no longer be able to buy a knife online," Macron declared, adding that the government would enforce “massive financial sanctions and bans” on any violations.
Prime Minister François Bayrou confirmed that the decree banning knife sales to minors will be issued within the next two weeks and will take effect immediately. The list will include “any knife that can be used as a weapon,” he said in a televised interview with TF1. Bayrou also called for a trial run of metal detectors in schools to prevent further violence.
Both initiatives—targeting online exposure and physical weapon access—mark a new phase of Macron’s youth safety strategy as France grapples with issues of teen aggression and digital well-being.
