France to Consider Ban on Social Media for Users Under 15 After Stabbing Incident
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to push for a ban on social media access for teenagers under 15 across the European Union (EU) following a deadly stabbing at a middle school in north-east France. In a televised interview with France 2 on June 10, Macron expressed his hope to see progress on this regulation within a couple of months.
The announcement came after a 31-year-old teaching assistant was fatally stabbed during a routine bag search at a middle school in Nogent, Haute-Marne. A 14-year-old student has been taken into custody and questioned in connection with the attack. Macron pointed to social media as a contributing factor in the rise of violent behavior among young people, a view supported by Prime Minister François Bayrou.
In a post on X, Macron stated, “Platforms have the ability to verify age. Do it.” He also mentioned that expert recommendations support age-based restrictions on digital platforms. France is now joining a growing number of countries looking to tighten control over how minors use digital platforms. Australia, for instance, passed laws banning social media for users under 16 in 2024.
Macron’s statement emphasizes the need for European mobilization on the issue, suggesting that if this cannot be achieved at the EU level, France will consider implementing the ban nationally. “I’m giving ourselves a couple of months to see if we can achieve a European mobilisation. If that doesn’t work, I will negotiate so that we can start to do it in France. We cannot wait,” Macron said.
The incident has sparked a debate on the role of social media in youth violence, with French authorities calling for stricter regulations to protect minors online.
