France's Macron pushes for fast-track ban on social media for kids under 15

French President Emmanuel Macron says he wants his government to fast-track the legal process to ensure that a ban on social media for children under the age of 15 can enter into force in September at the start of the next school year.

In a video released late Saturday by French broadcaster BFM-TV, Macron said he had asked his government to initiate an accelerated procedure so that the proposed legislation can move as quickly as possible and be passed by the Senate in time.

"The brains of our children and our teenagers are not for sale," Macron said. "The emotions of our children and our teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated. Neither by American platforms, nor by Chinese algorithms."

Macron's announcement came just days after the British government said it will consider banning young teenagers from social media as it tightens laws designed to protect children from harmful content and excessive screen time.

According to France's health watchdog, one in two teenagers spends between two and five hours a day on a smartphone. In a report published in December, it said that some 90% of children aged between 12 and 17 use smartphones daily to access the internet, with 58% of them using their devices for social networks.

The report highlighted a range of harmful effects stemming from the use of social networks, including reduced self-esteem and increased exposure to content associated with risky behaviors such as self-harm, drug use and suicide. Several families in France have sued TikTok over teen suicides they say are linked to harmful content.

Macron's office told The Associated Press that the video was addressed to lawmaker Laure Miller, who is sponsoring the bill that will be examined in a public session on Monday.

"We are banning social media for under-15s, and we are going to ban mobile phones in our high schools," Macron said. "I believe this is a clear rule. Clear for our teenagers, clear for families, clear for teachers, and we are moving forward."

Australia recently implemented the world's first social media ban for teens younger than 16, with its government urging Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, X and Youtube to take reasonable steps to exclude Australian account holders from their platforms if they don't meet the age requirement. Since then, social media companies have blocked access to about 4.7 million Australian accounts that were identified as belonging to kids under 16, officials said.

The law in Australia provoked fraught debates about technology use, privacy, child safety and mental health. It has also prompted other countries to consider similar measures. 

Peter Malinauskas, the premiere of the state of South Australia, previously told CBS News that officials from North America, Europe and Asia had spoken with him about pushing forward similar legislation in Canada, the United Kingdom and Japan. Malaysia is poised to become the second country to institute a social media ban for kids under 16 this year.