Emmanuel Macron signaled Thursday that protecting children from online harms caused by social media and artificial intelligence will be a central focus of France’s upcoming Group of Seven presidency. Speaking at the India AI Summit in New Delhi, he directly challenged the Donald Trump administration, which aligns with American tech firms and champions free speech as a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. “There is no reason our children should be exposed online to what is legally forbidden in the real world,” Macron said, framing his push as both a moral and regulatory imperative.
The June G7 summit in Evian is shaping up as a pivotal moment in transatlantic relations, coming as Macron nears the end of his term. According to Bloomberg, Macron plans to confront Trump on the issue, seeking support from European allies and forming a “new coalition of the willing” aimed at curbing minors’ access to social media. Several European countries, including the U.K. and Germany, are already considering strict regulations: the U.K. would require tech companies to remove abusive images within 48 hours under penalty of fines or blocked services, while Germany aims to ban social media for minors by year-end.
The French initiative comes amid mounting tension between the U.S. and Europe. The Trump administration has warned of retaliation against the EU for efforts that it claims undermine American tech competitiveness, targeting firms such as Accenture, Siemens, and Spotify. Australia has already implemented a social media ban for users under 16, while major platforms like Meta have pushed back, arguing that age restrictions could drive teens to less-regulated corners of the internet. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified this week in Los Angeles that users often lie about their age, highlighting enforcement challenges.
Macron has dismissed U.S. objections, asserting that unchecked free speech online is meaningless if platforms guide content invisibly. “Free speech is pure bulls— if nobody knows how you are guided to this so-called free speech,” he said during his India trip. His statements underscore France’s intent to use the G7 stage to reshape global norms around AI, online safety, and the role of tech companies in protecting children, even if it pits him against the Trump administration.
