French President Emmanuel Macron has called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to impose a ban on social media access for children below the age of 15, highlighting child safety as a global priority in the age of artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit on February 19, Macron said France is preparing to prohibit social media use for children under 15. “Children protection from AI is going to be France’s G7 priority,” he stated, adding that Spain is also considering similar measures and urging India to “join the club.”
The French government is reportedly planning restrictions on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and X. The proposed ban in France could come into effect from September 26. Notably, Australia has already enforced a ban on social media access for children under 16.
In India, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on February 17 that the government is examining the possibility of introducing age-based restrictions on social media platforms. He also stressed the growing risks posed by deepfakes, calling for stronger regulatory frameworks.
“I think we need much stronger regulation on deepfakes. It is a problem growing day by day. Certainly, there is a need for protecting our children and our society from these harms,” Vaishnaw said, adding that discussions with industry stakeholders are underway to determine additional safeguards beyond existing rules.
During his address, Macron also praised India’s digital transformation, particularly its success in online payments. Referring to the Unified Payments Interface, he described Unified Payments Interface as a system unmatched globally.
“Ten years ago, a street vendor in Mumbai could not open a bank account. No address, no papers, no access. And today the same vendor accepts payments on his phone,” Macron said.
He further lauded India’s digital infrastructure, citing the scale of its digital identity programme, monthly transaction volumes and digital health initiatives under what he termed the India Stack — an open, interoperable sovereign digital framework.
Macron’s remarks signal increasing international alignment on regulating social media and AI-driven risks, particularly concerning children’s safety and the rapid spread of synthetic content online.
