France and WHO urge stricter digital platform rules to safeguard children

French President Emmanuel Macron and WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a joint statement calling for urgent, comprehensive digital governance to protect children’s health. They warned that algorithm‑driven features such as infinite scrolling, autoplay and push notifications foster addictive behaviour and expose young people to harmful content, misinformation, and targeted marketing of products like tobacco and alcohol.

The declaration urges governments to mandate safe‑by‑design platform redesigns, enforce age‑appropriate design, ensure transparent data sharing and impose corporate accountability. It also calls for independent longitudinal research to assess long‑term impacts of generative AI on youth development.

While several nations – Australia, France, the United Kingdom, Canada and others – have introduced age‑restriction laws for users under 15‑16, enforcement remains weak, with many teenagers bypassing controls. Recent legal actions, including a $375 million judgment against Meta in the United States and EU investigations under the Digital Services Act, illustrate growing regulatory pressure on tech firms.

Macron and Ghebreyesus argue that national bans alone are insufficient and that a coordinated, global regulatory framework is essential to reduce algorithmic harms and promote the physical and mental well‑being of children online.