Macron urges EU social media ban for under-15s

French President Emmanuel Macron has asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to propose EU legislation banning children under 15 from social media.

In an August 29 letter seen by AFP on Monday, Macron said a “European legislative text” was needed to “protect all children in the Union”. He said it was “now essential to go further and harmonise this provision through a new European text”.

A French proposal to ban under-15s from social media was struck down in August by France's Constitutional Council. Macron said he still hoped to find a way forward in the coming months through revised national legislation that would comply with EU law and the French constitution.