“He instills the narrative that the violence comes from the platforms,” the representative said. “For the president, there are no problems in society; everything is exacerbated by social networks.”
Macron has advocated for social media and screen age limits since the start of his second term. In 2023, a law restricting social media use for those under 15 was passed without the Elysée’s explicit support, but it faced obstacles due to the technical challenges of age verification and conflicts with European law, particularly the Digital Services Act.
In April 2024, a committee of experts organized by the Elysée recommended the 15-year-old age limit for social media, and in June, Macron pledged to implement it. However, he lost his parliamentary majority.
Few expect immediate action, despite the urgency Macron conveyed on Tuesday.
A lawyer with the Fondation pour l’Enfance, a French children’s rights NGO, told POLITICO that Macron’s team often results in “announcements rather than concrete measures.”
A ministerial adviser told POLITICO that Macron’s office has scheduled several meetings in the coming weeks and months to swiftly address limiting social media use and screen time for French children.
Joshua Berlinger contributed to this report.
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