Danny Weber
13:48 20-02-2026
© A. Krivonosov
French President Macron aims to make restricting teen social media a G7 priority, with calls for international rules to safeguard children from harmful content and AI risks.
French President Emmanuel Macron has stated that restricting teenagers' use of social media will be a key agenda item for the G7 during France's presidency. According to Bloomberg, Paris aims to promote international measures to protect children from harmful digital content and risks associated with artificial intelligence.
Macron emphasized at an AI summit in New Delhi that there is no reason for content illegal in the real world to be accessible to children online. He noted that one priority of France's G7 presidency is preventing harm to children from AI and digital platforms.
The French leader also called on India to join the initiative and form an international alliance to safeguard children in the digital environment. He expressed confidence that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would support such steps, highlighting India's willingness to participate in developing common rules for social media and AI platforms.
Macron mentioned that France is already discussing a ban on social media for teenagers under 15. Similar measures are being considered by other European countries, including the UK and Germany, where regulators increasingly label social media as addictive and potentially harmful to children's mental health. Previously, the French president strongly criticized arguments about free speech, calling them nonsense.
The Indian side has outlined its position as well. At the summit, Modi stated that India needs to be more vigilant about children's safety and introduce AI-based programs into school curricula. India's Minister of Science and Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, reported that the government is exploring age restriction options and discussing deepfake regulation with platforms.
Global practices are already shifting toward strict measures. For example, Australia will ban social media use for children under 16 starting in 2025. Macron's initiative could be the next step toward establishing unified international rules in this area.