French President Emmanuel Macron addressed hundreds of middle school students at the Cité Internationale de la Langue Française in Villers-Cotterêts on Thursday, calling on young people to turn off their mobile devices and pick up books. He announced plans to promote a monthly "offline day" and proposed legislation to ban social media use for children under the age of 15.

Macron stated that algorithms are stealing young people's attention. During his speech, he acknowledged that society's failure to regulate social media has harmed adolescents. "We left you in this jungle, and it has taken away your attention," Macron told the students. "We need to slow down and help you grow into adults, and more importantly—into citizens."

He further elaborated on the concept of an "offline day," saying, "We want one 'offline day' per month where everyone stays away from screens. This day could be used for reading aloud, drama, or other activities, allowing everyone to experience firsthand that life without screens is entirely possible."

According to the French presidential palace, Macron interacted with approximately 350 students from the Île-de-France region and the city of Amiens. He participated in a reading workshop hosted by comedian Laurent Stocker and was interviewed by students.

During the dialogue, Macron shared his perspective on reading. A 15-year-old student named Ferdaous, who attended a comic book creation workshop, said he "learned a lot" about the entire process—from research and story conception to pencil sketches and coloring.

When asked about his views on reading, Macron responded, "Reading is very important to me; being able to love reading is a fortune. I won't tell you 'you must read'—that would be ridiculous; it's not for me to persuade you. But I find that reading allows us to learn many things and offers something that videos cannot provide."

He explained that reading "helps us understand things and find the right expressions for our feelings," while also being a form of "personal time" that helps people concentrate. "Otherwise, we remain perpetually distracted in this world," he emphasized.

Student reactions to the president's initiative were mixed. Sixteen-year-old Keisha admitted spending 8 to 12 hours daily on her phone during weekends, stating, "I spend much more time on my phone than reading." Fifteen-year-old Sharonn Tsimi Meyong expressed disagreement, saying, "Younger children will feel excluded." Similarly, 15-year-old Fabien Andronic believed that monitoring phone usage should be parents' responsibility, adding, "I like social networks; we learn a lot there."

However, 15-year-old Manel Zerouali supported the proposed ban for those under 15, arguing that younger teens need protection. "On social networks, there is cyberbullying," she stressed.

One point of consensus among the students was that most teenagers would find ways to circumvent any ban.

The "offline day" initiative is part of Macron's broader effort to regulate social media use among youth. The French parliament is currently reviewing a bill aimed at prohibiting social media access for minors under 15. Although the National Assembly has voted in favor of a full ban, the Senate prefers only blocking platforms deemed harmful to children. This difference may delay Macron's goal of implementing the law by the start of the new school year in September.

Meanwhile, the European Union is actively promoting a unified age verification system. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that an EU-wide application for online age verification has been developed and will soon be rolled out across all 27 member states. Later that day, Macron was scheduled to hold a video conference with other EU leaders to advocate for a coordinated European approach to the concept of "digital adulthood."

Macron's initiative comes against the backdrop of rising screen time among French youth. According to a study released earlier this week, children and teenagers aged 7 to 19 in France spend an average of three hours per day in front of screens, while time devoted to reading has dwindled to just 18 minutes. Among 16 to 19-year-olds, screen time soars to over five hours daily, with reading time shrinking further to 14 minutes.

In this context, Macron stated in a video message back in January, "Our children's emotions cannot be sold or manipulated—whether by American platforms or algorithms from any other country."

Following Australia's lead in passing a social media ban for minors, several European countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Spain, and Italy are considering or advancing similar restrictions.