Macron wants to ban AI applications that put children at risk
The French president is calling for bans on specific applications, but has not announced a new law.
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French President Emmanuel Macron wants to ban artificial-intelligence applications when they demonstrably put children at risk. He said this on Monday during an international meeting on AI safety in Paris.
Macron argued that protecting children cannot wait for the same extensive regulation being developed for other AI risks. His statement concerned applications or forms of use that he believes pose a concrete risk to children, not a general ban on all artificial intelligence.
The French president put forward his position during a meeting attended by government leaders, representatives of international and civil-society organisations, AI companies and researchers. According to the Élysée, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands and the United Nations were among those represented.
According to the French government, participants agreed to work on independent evaluations of advanced AI models, common standards for reporting serious incidents and clearer liability. Companies would also be expected to make information about the known capabilities, limitations and risks of their models more publicly available.
The meeting therefore produced mainly political agreements and commitments. The French presidential communiqué does not describe a new statutory ban on AI that could harm children. Nor does it include a specific age limit, a list of banned applications or an enforcement mechanism.
Macron links his appeal to a broader French policy of better protecting young people from digital services. France has previously pursued restrictions on social media for minors and is working with other countries on a coalition concerning children's rights and protection in the age of AI.
The practical question now is how a risk to children should be established and who should decide. A broad ban could protect against harmful applications, but could also clash with innovation, educational use and the freedom to develop digital tools. It is not yet clear whether such rules would later apply to the Netherlands through European legislation or common standards.
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One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Macron expressed support for a ban on AI use that poses risks to children.
- The French government reported international agreements on evaluation, incidents and responsibility in AI.
- No specific list of banned applications or new law has yet been announced.
Left
Arguments The government must protect children from technology whose risks companies do not adequately control; voluntary agreements are too weak for this purpose.
Values Children's rights, public safety and prevention outweigh unrestricted market access.
Consequences Stricter rules could remove harmful applications more quickly, but require public oversight and clear definitions.
Centre
Arguments Targeted bans can be justified if independent tests demonstrate a concrete risk, while safe applications remain available.
Values Proportionality, evidence and enforceability.
Consequences A phased system of testing, transparency and oversight could combine protection with room for innovation.
Right
Arguments A broad power to impose bans gives the state too much discretion and could unnecessarily restrict companies, parents and schools.
Values Individual responsibility, innovation and restrained government intervention.
Consequences Greater emphasis on parental choice, age verification and liability after the event could limit prohibition-based policy, but risks may persist for longer.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The article's central claims are supported by Macron's statement and the official French communiqué on the meeting. The article clearly distinguishes between a political appeal and existing legislation.
- confirmed Emmanuel Macron called on 9 November for a ban on AI applications that pose risks to children. — This was reported by Europe 1 in a report dated 9 November 2026. source
- confirmed France organised an international meeting on AI safety on 9 November. — The Élysée published a communiqué about this on 9 November 2026. source
- confirmed The meeting led to agreements on independent evaluations, incident reporting and liability. — These three points appear in the Élysée's official communiqué. source
- confirmed No specific French law introducing a general ban on these AI applications has yet been announced. — The communiqué mentions agreements and commitments, but no new ban law or specific list of banned applications. source
Editor's note
It is certain that Macron made the statement and that international participants announced agreements on AI safety. It remains uncertain which applications he would include under a possible ban; there is no detailed bill yet.Sources
More on this in Dutch media
- de Volkskrant — „kunstmatige intelligentie”
- NOS — „kunstmatige intelligentie”
- Het Parool — „kunstmatige intelligentie”