Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on June 11, 2025
2 min readLast updated: March 1, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleAfter a school stabbing, Macron pushes for an EU ban on social media for under-15s, citing its role in youth violence. Australia sets a precedent.
PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron said he would push for European Union regulation to ban social media for children under the age of 15 after a fatal stabbing at a school in eastern France, the latest such violent attack that left the country reeling.
Macron said in an interview late on Tuesday that he hoped to see results within the next few months.
"If that does not work, we will start to do it in France. We cannot wait," he told the France 2 public broadcaster, hours after a fatal stabbing at a middle school in Nogent, Haute-Marne.
Police questioned a 14-year-old student on Tuesday over the knifing of a 31-year-old school aide during a bag search for weapons.
Prime Minister Francois Bayrou told parliament the incident was not an isolated case. Macron said social media was one of the factors to blame for violence among young people.
Writing on social media platform X after the interview, Macron said such regulation was backed by experts. "Platforms have the ability to verify age. Do it," he wrote.
Macron's comments come amid a wave of measures in countries around the world aimed at curbing social media use among children.
Australia last year approved a social media ban for under-16s after an emotive public debate, setting a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech.
Although most social media do not allow children under 13 to use their platforms, a report by Australia's online safety regulator found children easily bypass such restrictions.
(Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Richard Lough and Alex Richardson)
Macron proposed that the European Union regulate social media to ban its use for children under the age of 15.
Macron's comments came after a fatal stabbing at a middle school in Nogent, Haute-Marne, where a school aide was killed.
Macron expressed hope to see results within the next few months, stating that if EU regulations do not work, France will take action.
Macron mentioned that experts back the regulation, emphasizing that social media platforms have the capability to verify users' ages.
Macron's proposal reflects a global trend of countries implementing measures to curb social media use among children, with Australia having already approved a ban for under-16s.
Explore more articles in the Headlines category
