France's President Emmanuel Macron has called on his government to expedite the process of banning social media for children under the age of 15, with the aim of implementing it by September when the new school year begins.
In a recent video address, Macron emphasized the need to protect young minds from the potential harm caused by social media. He warned that American platforms and Chinese algorithms can manipulate children's emotions and exploit their vulnerability.
The French President's comments come on the heels of similar moves in other countries. Australia recently became the first nation to introduce a social media ban for teens under 16, with several major platforms subsequently blocking access to millions of underage accounts.
Macron's proposal is part of an effort to address the growing concerns about the impact of social media on children's mental health and well-being. According to France's health watchdog, one in two teenagers spends hours a day glued to their smartphones, with 90% of children aged 12-17 using their devices daily for social networking.
The proposed ban is seen as a step towards mitigating these risks. Macron's announcement was made ahead of a public session on Monday, where lawmakers will examine the bill that proposes to restrict access to social media and mobile phones in schools starting from September.
The move has sparked debate across the globe, with officials from other countries expressing interest in implementing similar measures. As the world grapples with the challenges posed by social media, it remains to be seen whether Macron's proposal will have a lasting impact on protecting young minds.
In a recent video address, Macron emphasized the need to protect young minds from the potential harm caused by social media. He warned that American platforms and Chinese algorithms can manipulate children's emotions and exploit their vulnerability.
The French President's comments come on the heels of similar moves in other countries. Australia recently became the first nation to introduce a social media ban for teens under 16, with several major platforms subsequently blocking access to millions of underage accounts.
Macron's proposal is part of an effort to address the growing concerns about the impact of social media on children's mental health and well-being. According to France's health watchdog, one in two teenagers spends hours a day glued to their smartphones, with 90% of children aged 12-17 using their devices daily for social networking.
The proposed ban is seen as a step towards mitigating these risks. Macron's announcement was made ahead of a public session on Monday, where lawmakers will examine the bill that proposes to restrict access to social media and mobile phones in schools starting from September.
The move has sparked debate across the globe, with officials from other countries expressing interest in implementing similar measures. As the world grapples with the challenges posed by social media, it remains to be seen whether Macron's proposal will have a lasting impact on protecting young minds.
! I mean, we've all seen how much of a impact social media can have on our mental health as kids and teens. It's crazy that one in two teens are glued to their phones for hours a day 
. Banning social media for kids under 15 could really help them focus on other things like school and spending time with friends. I'm all about giving kids the tools they need to succeed, not exposing them to all the drama and negativity of the internet 
. Fingers crossed this bill passes and we can start seeing some positive changes 
!
and yeah one in two teens spending hours on their phone is wild what's going on with our youth? 
they need some protection from all the drama & cyberbullying online gotta give Macron props for trying to do something about it 
but at the same time, i'm not sure if banning social media entirely is the solution 
maybe we should be working on education & digital literacy instead?
. I remember when I was younger, my friends and I would spend hours on our phones playing games or chatting with each other. It's crazy to think about now... 
. What about older kids who know what they're doing? Don't they deserve some freedom online too? 
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. Maybe a compromise would be in order? 
Like, restrict access for kids under 16 or something? 
i think France is just trying to follow suit 
but is it even possible? our kids are already glued to their phones can we really take that away from them 
those are serious issues that need to be addressed too 
. I get that social media can be bad for young minds, but banning it altogether seems kinda extreme. What about when they need to use it for school projects or just to stay in touch with friends? And what about all the good stuff on these platforms too? Like, have you seen any of those cute animal videos 
? Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on this one, will see how it plays out 
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. I mean, can you imagine how much more screen time they'd get if there was no Instagram or TikTok in school? It's crazy to think that 90% of those 12-17 year olds are glued to their devices daily... it just doesn't add up with the mental health stats 
. Those algorithms are some dark magic 
, but I think we need to find a balance 
. Maybe education and responsible parenting can be the solution 
? Or maybe it's just about setting boundaries 
.
. It'll be interesting to see if Macron's plan works out 
What about all the good stuff they can learn online, like history and science and art? 
And what about the kids who are actually using social media responsibly? They shouldn't be punished for something that's out of their control... or should I say, in their control? 
. While there are valid arguments against such a ban, I believe the potential benefits far outweigh the drawbacks 
! I mean, think about it, kids under 15 shouldn't be scrolling through Instagram and TikTok all day, they should be playing outside and learning stuff in school 
. It's like, we need to protect those young minds from all the drama and stress that social media can cause. Plus, have you seen how addicted some of them get? 
. Let's hope Macron's proposal makes a difference and we can all breathe a sigh of relief knowing our kids are safe from the clutches of social media 
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. Maybe we can learn from each other and figure out some better ways to deal with social media's impact on young people 
How's that gonna affect parents who just wanna share their kid's life on social media? And what about online safety? Are they just gonna block all the bad stuff? 
. Australia did it first so kudos to them 
. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out in France and if other countries follow suit 
How can we even trust them not to manipulate our little ones? Guess only time will tell if France's plan will "unfollow" social media's grip on young minds. 
... if macron can make this happen by sept thats awesome!! 
. And let's be real, who's going to regulate these platforms anyway? 