Macron calls for a Europe-wide law banning social media for children

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen to prepare a Europe-wide law that would ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, the outlet Franceinfo reports.

In a letter to von der Leyen, Macron called for protecting minors and introducing a reliable age verification system.

The head of the European Commission, in turn, plans to present proposals on restricting access to social media for different age groups as early as this fall.

Macron insists on a tough approach: a ban for those under 15, regulation of algorithms that cause addiction, and the introduction of limits on app usage time.

"Age verification must be based on a set of reliable national and European solutions that comply with privacy rules," the French president said.

In August, Macron signed a law banning the use of phones by high school students. The ban will take effect at the start of the school year, the head of state reported.

At the end of July, the French parliament passed a bill banning social media for people under 15. The first stage of the restrictions was due to take effect on September 1, but the Constitutional Council deemed the measure an excessive restriction on minors' freedom of expression and overturned it.