France Resubmits Social Media Ban Proposal for Children

PARIS: (News Desk) – The French government has submitted a revised proposal to ban social media use by children after the country’s top constitutional authority rejected an earlier version of the legislation, President Emmanuel Macron said Monday.

France’s Constitutional Council struck down the previous legislation in mid-August, ruling that part of the proposed restrictions amounted to an unnecessary infringement on the freedom of expression of those affected.

“After rigorous technical work the government today is notifying” the European Commission of the new draft, Macron said in a post on X.

The notification is a key step in the legislative process, as it allows the proposal to be assessed for compliance with European Union laws.

Macron has made restricting social media access for children and teenagers one of his key priorities and wants the ban to be operational before he leaves office next year.

The French president has also urged other European Union countries to introduce similar measures.

EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to address the possibility of a bloc-wide social media ban for children in a speech in Brussels this week.

An increasing number of countries are considering restrictions on children’s access to social media amid growing concerns over the platforms’ potential harmful effects on young users.