ExclusiveMacron Tells Teens to Switch Off Their Screens at Least One Day a Month

Speaking to a group of high school students on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged them to turn off their screens completely, at least for one day each month. We left you in this jungle and it robs you of your attention. I mean, you're getting more and more used to staying in front of a screen, going from one content to another quickly, very short videos. And we can see that it has even become more and more difficult for you to watch a movie, to read a book. In addition to one no-screen stay per month for all, Macron is also pushing for a blanket social media ban for children under 15 years of age. France is among at least a dozen European countries that have enacted or are considering legislation to set minimum age limits for social media usage, following Australia's groundbreaking ban launched last year. This app gives parents, teachers, caretakers a powerful tool to protect children. Meanwhile, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said this week that the EU's age verification app for online platforms is ready and will be rolled out soon. We are holding online platforms accountable that do not protect enough our kids. She said the app, which will be compatible with both mobile devices and computers, will require users to upload their passport or ID card to confirm their age anonymously. The Commission has been developing a harmonized digital verification system since last year. Controlling children's access to restricted online content presents governments with technical challenges. Australia has seen a huge spike in downloads of virtual private networks since it introduced its social media ban, as users seek to bypass the measure to access restricted platforms. A senior European Commission official acknowledged the issue, but said the initiative was not aimed at policing people online. No EU-wide binding legislation has been adopted yet. But in November, the European Parliament approved a resolution report, calling for a minimum age of 16 for social media access across all member states. A final decision on potential EU legislation is expected in the coming months. In France, where the draft bill to ban those under 15 from accessing social media is going through Parliament, students expressed mixed feelings about losing access. In general, people had a taste of social media too early in life, and so they cannot let go of it so easily. I agree that it should be banned for those under 15, because there is cyberbullying in social media. There are so many things that can make you paranoid, and you may feel unwell because of social media.