Macron Seeks EU-Wide Minimum Age Of 15 For Social Media Use

French President Emmanuel Macron has called on the European Union to establish a common minimum age of 15 for social media use across all 27 member states.

Macron made the proposal in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, urging her to support EU-wide legislation restricting children under 15 from accessing social media.

He argued that action at the European level was necessary after France’s attempt to introduce similar national restrictions was rejected by the country’s Constitutional Council. Macron has made protecting children from potential risks associated with social media a major priority, citing concerns over young people’s mental health and online safety.

The proposal, however, faces opposition from some EU countries, particularly Scandinavian nations, where governments have argued that parents should have the primary responsibility for deciding when their children can use social media.

Macron has also said France would revise its rejected legislation and pursue a new national framework to restrict children’s access to social media.

Meanwhile, the European Commission is examining possible age-based restrictions. Recommendations under consideration include limited and supervised access for children under 13, with fewer restrictions as children grow older.

Macron is pushing for a stricter approach, calling for social media access to be completely prohibited for children under 15 across the EU.