French President Emmanuel Macron strongly criticized the influence of social media (SNS) regarding the use of knives by youth, stating that he would ban SNS use for those under 15.
On the evening of the 10th (local time), President Macron appeared on France 2 TV, expressing concern that "the use of knives is spreading like a trend among children and adolescents."
On that day, in front of a middle school in eastern France, an incident occurred where a student (14) from the school fatally stabbed an educational assistant during a bag inspection.
President Macron pointed to SNS as the cause. He stated that SNS influences the violence of children and adolescents, claiming, "We must prohibit SNS for those under 15." He added that if such measures are not taken at the European Union (EU) level, France would be the first to ban SNS use for youth, stating, "We can no longer wait."
President Macron suggested that the ban on youth SNS could be implemented in a manner similar to the restrictions on adult content sites, which require an age verification process upon access. He also noted, "In the future, youth will no longer be able to purchase knives on the Internet," declaring that the government would take immediate action.