Story perspectives

Macron Submits Revised EU Social Media Ban to Commission

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 6:24 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

President Emmanuel Macron submitted a revised under-15 social-media ban proposal to the European Commission.
The draft restricts ten features such as autoplay videos, night notifications, and messaging from unknown accounts.
The ban keeps the minimum age at 15 but permits 13- to 15-year-olds with guardian consent.
Macron wants the French ban in force before his term ends next spring.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will discuss a bloc-wide ban in Brussels.

History

Historical Context

The EU’s GDPR, adopted in April 2016 and enforced from 25 May 2018, introduced continent-wide data-privacy rules and hefty penalties, exemplified by a €345 million fine on TikTok in 2024 for child-data violations. Building on that regulatory momentum, President Emmanuel Macron’s 2024 proposal to ban ten social-media features for users under 15 seeks similar protective safeguards. If passed, platforms will need to redesign interfaces, echoing GDPR’s costly compliance precedent.

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Story summary

President Emmanuel Macron submitted a revised under-15 social-media ban proposal to the European Commission.
The draft restricts ten features such as autoplay videos, night notifications, and messaging from unknown accounts.
The ban keeps the minimum age at 15 but permits 13- to 15-year-olds with guardian consent.
Macron wants the French ban in force before his term ends next spring.
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will discuss a bloc-wide ban in Brussels.

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