Ban on Social Media for Teenagers: Why European Countries Are Launching a Digital Revolution

The momentum of progress is unstoppable — though French President Emmanuel Macron seems to think otherwise. Pavel Durov sharply opposed the new global trend of banning social media for minors. According to the founder of Telegram, such initiatives are often driven by politicians with low approval ratings.

The negative attitude toward Emmanuel Macron reaches up to 77%, about 75% against Kira Starmer, and around 70% disapproval for Pedro Sánchez, the Prime Minister of Spain, according to recent surveys. These three leaders are actively pushing for draconian measures against children and the internet. But what lies behind this zeal? The digital revolution — in the section “Full Europe”.

Bad example or genuine concern for the quality of life?

In Europe, the debate over strict restrictions on children’s access to digital platforms is gaining momentum. France, Spain, the UK, and other countries are preparing draft laws modeled after Australia.

France has become the pioneer and leading student of this trend. At the end of January, under Macron’s initiative, the country adopted a bill in the first reading to ban social networks for all under 15. Moreover, neural networks, certain video games, and VPN services could also be blacklisted in France, preventing youth from bypassing restrictions.

Emmanuel Macron, President of France:

"We are banning social media for those under 15, and we also plan to prohibit phones in secondary schools. Clear rules must be introduced for our teenagers, families, and teachers. The minds of our children and teenagers are not for sale. Their emotions cannot be manipulated with impunity by American platforms or Chinese algorithms."

French children shouldn’t despair and smash their phones just yet. Although the initiators cite rising anxiety and depression among teenagers as reasons, the new law still needs approval from the Senate and may face legal challenges. Experts point out the technical difficulties of implementing age verification systems. Parents are skeptical that the new measures will work effectively.

Spain is also embarking on a digital detox. Its Prime Minister announced a plan requiring digital platforms to implement a special age verification system. In this case, the threshold is 16 years old. Sánchez stated that Spanish authorities aim to protect children from the “digital Wild West.”

Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain:

"Platforms must implement effective age verification systems — not just checkboxes, but real barriers that work. Today, our children are exposed to environments they should never have to navigate alone: drug abuse, violence, pornography, manipulation, and abuse. We will no longer accept this. We will protect them from the digital Wild West."

Beyond the EU, the idea of bans is also gaining traction. British Prime Minister Kira Starmer, who previously advocated for internet freedom, now seriously talks about restricting access for children under 16. His change of stance was driven by MPs increasingly warning about the internet’s harm to teens, and perhaps by the influence of artificial intelligence, which even dressed up Starmer in a swimsuit.

Lord John Alfred Stodard Nash, a member of the House of Lords:

"We are facing a social catastrophe. Many teenagers spend seven or more hours a day on social networks. From all over the world, evidence suggests that, in terms of health, cognition, education, crime, and economic productivity, children are being harmed. Since 2016, the number of children seeking psychiatric help has increased by 477%, and cases of eating disorders among teenagers have risen 16-fold."

The dangers of social media are not only discussed by politicians. Psychologists, doctors, and even mathematicians are warning that the younger generation is becoming weaker, dumber, and increasingly uncontrollable. The most alarming part is that social networks, smartphones, and gadgets now often exert greater influence over children than parents. Essentially, where once the street played a role in upbringing, today the internet does.

Alexei Savvateev, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, RAS Corresponding Member:

"The smartphone is today’s heroin. It’s similar to alcohol — for a child, it’s a dry law. Because it causes addiction, dulls the mind, and destroys the ability to concentrate. We live in a reality where the smartphone competes with the school."

In all this, one would like to believe that Europe genuinely cares about its children. But something suggests that behind the facade of nobility lies a fear of losing the war for teenagers’ minds and, consequently, the chance to stay in power. Under the guise of fighting addiction, there’s a banal digital isolation of society’s most active and impressionable segment. So what’s the bottom line? The same story — political calculations. Whether in Paris, London, Madrid, or Chișinău, governments are aiming for one thing: to monopolize the influence on their youth’s minds.