French President Emmanuel Macron has proposed new rules to reduce the number of hours young people spend in front of electronic device screens, saying the measures are aimed at preventing the spread of misinformation online, Euractiv reported.

Emmanuel MacronPhoto: Idriss Bigou-Gilles / AFP / Profimedia Images

“If we have teenagers and future citizens whose relationship with the truth has been built incorrectly or through social media, then the line between truth and lies is blurred. We will have a generation of conspiracy theorists!” the French leader warned during one of the biggest press conferences he has organized at the Elysee Palace since becoming president.

Macron announced that the government would decide on possible “bans” and “restrictions” on minors’ access to digital technology, with measures based on the report of an expert commission that will present its findings in March.

The French president assured that the measures will be adopted on the basis of “scientific consensus” and that he wants the report to become a basis for combating other harmful phenomena for minors, such as bullying, the influence of pornography and the use of mobile devices for wrong purposes.

The Élysée leader praises Europe’s progress in digital content moderation

Macron also mentioned the EU’s regulation of online content moderation, the Digital Services Act (DSA), which the EU bloc agreed to in 2022 during France’s rotating presidency of the EU Council.

“Europe is a leader in this matter (…) content providers are held accountable,” he assured.

He also mentioned two laws passed by France during his presidency to protect children: a 2018 ban on the use of smartphones in schools and 2022 legislation forcing retailers to include pre-installed parental controls on devices sold in the country.

In 2021, the French government decided, on Macron’s initiative, to offer free psychological counseling to young people, also with the aim of protecting their mental health in the context of the COVID pandemic. This measure was later extended to the rest of the population, and psychotherapy sessions were paid for by the French state.