• Macron aims for social media ban for children under 15 to take effect by September.
• The proposed legislation includes a ban on mobile phone use in high schools.
• Similar laws have been enacted in Australia, influencing global considerations.

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced plans to fast-track a proposed ban on social media for children under 15, aiming for legislation to be in place by September, coinciding with the start of the next school year. In a video address, Macron stated, "I have asked the government to activate the accelerated procedure... to go as quickly as possible," affirming the need for such a measure to protect young minds from manipulation by major tech platforms, both American and Chinese, according to Indiatimes, South China Morning Post, and CBS News.

Macron's insistence on this ban reflects a growing concern over the impact of social media on young people's mental health. According to France’s health watchdog, about half of teenagers spend two to five hours daily on smartphones, while 90% of children aged 12 to 17 use them to access the internet. The report highlighted alarming findings, such as potential links between social media use and mental health issues, including self-harm and suicide among teenagers. Families have already initiated lawsuits against TikTok over alleged harmful content affecting their children, as noted by South China Morning Post and CBS News.

In conjunction with the social media ban, Macron also plans to prohibit mobile phones in high schools, aiming for clarity and safety in educational environments. He asserted, "This is a clear rule... clear for our teenagers, clear for families, clear for teachers," as reported by Indiatimes, South China Morning Post, and CBS News.

The French proposal is part of a broader context of regulatory action regarding children's online safety, following Australia's pioneering law that bans social media usage for those under 16. Since its implementation, Australia has seen social media companies blocking approximately 4.7 million accounts belonging to minors. Officials from various countries, including Canada and the UK, are reportedly interested in adopting similar regulations, which have sparked debates about technology's role in childhood, as highlighted by South China Morning Post and CBS News.