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The Elysee Palace disclosed on 8 September 2026 that President Emmanuel Macron has written to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeking an EU-wide ban on social media access for children under 15.
The letter, dated 29 August 2026, asks for a new European legislative text so the rule is harmonised across all 27 member states.
Macron turned to Brussels after France's Constitutional Council struck down the national ban on 14 August 2026 as a disproportionate infringement of freedom of expression and communication and of privacy.
The French Parliament had passed that law on 21 July 2026 and it was due to take effect in September 2026; Macron has asked Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to prepare a constitutionally sound replacement.
Von der Leyen has favoured a tiered model with supervised access for under-13s rather than a blanket under-15 ban, and several Scandinavian states prefer parental discretion.
Passed by the French Parliament on 21 July 2026; its Article 1, barring under-15s from social media services, was struck down by the Constitutional Council on 14 August 2026 as a disproportionate restriction on freedom of expression and communication
The bloc's existing rulebook for online platforms, imposing duties on very large platforms including protection of minors; Macron wants a further, dedicated legislative text on top of it
Sets the age of digital consent for information society services at 16, which member states may lower to no less than 13 - which is why age rules currently differ across the EU
India's comparator: it requires verifiable parental consent before processing the personal data of a child under 18, and bars tracking and targeted advertising directed at children, rather than banning access outright
The EU's executive; holds the right of legislative initiative, so a bloc-wide ban would have to begin as a Commission proposal
France's highest authority for reviewing the constitutionality of laws; struck down the under-15 social media ban on 14 August 2026
Political and economic union of 27 member states that can adopt regulations and directives binding across the bloc
French Parliament approves the law barring under-15s from social media, to take effect in September 2026
Constitutional Council strikes down the ban as neither appropriate, necessary nor proportionate; Macron asks PM Sebastien Lecornu to redraft it
Macron writes to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen seeking an EU-wide under-15 ban
The Elysee Palace makes the letter public
GS Paper 2 > Effect of Policies of Developed Countries on India's Interests; GS Paper 3 > Awareness in the Field of IT
General Awareness > International Current Affairs
The term 'Digital Single Market Strategy' seen in the news refers to
Answer: EU
'Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement (BTIA)' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of negotiations held between India and
Answer: European Union
Which of the following adopted a law on data protection and privacy for its citizens known as 'General Data Protection Regulation' in April 2016 and started implementation of it from 25th May, 2018?
Answer: The European Union
Consider the following statements: The 'Stability and Growth Pact' of the European Union is a treaty that 1. limits the levels of the budgetary deficit of the countries of the European Union 2. makes the countries of the European Union to share their infrastructure facilities 3. enables the countries of the European Union to share their technologies How many of the above statements are correct?
Answer: Only one
The age at which a person can consent to online data processing on their own; the GDPR sets it at 16, letting member states lower it to as low as 13
The constitutional test asking whether a restriction on a right is appropriate, necessary and balanced against the aim pursued - the test France's ban failed
The EU regulation governing online platforms, including obligations to protect minors on very large platforms