Khaberni - The dissemination of a fabricated news piece claiming that French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to "ban artificial intelligence for those under 18" has stirred a wave of ridicule and anger on social media.
The truth is that no such decision exists; the controversy arose from a mix-up between a satirical rumor and a real political debate about a plan to ban smartphones in high schools starting from 2026.
While the French government is currently studying the expansion of the mobile phone ban in schools, the anticipated decision has become a major point of debate between those who see it as "necessary educational protection" and others who consider it "ineffective surveillance" that does not address the root problems, according to the French newspaper Le Parisien.
The newspaper mentioned that as soon as the initial idea of banning smartphones in high schools from September 2026 leaked, students immediately reacted with astonishment, anger, and rejection. One high school sophomore commented in amazement, "What? Is this a joke?" before sadly looking at her phone, a scene that has become a symbol of the anxiety sparked by the announcement.
According to the French Ministry of Education, there is currently a "consultative action" between the government and educational unions discussing mechanisms to implement the decision, based on the experience that started in more than a hundred middle schools during the 2024-2025 academic year.
As the debate escalated, false information spread online claiming that Macron intends to ban artificial intelligence for teenagers, a claim that has no basis and has not been stated by him or the government. The confusion arose from a sarcastic paragraph that merged smartphone bans with artificial intelligence restrictions to criticize "the increasing tendency towards prohibition instead of education".
Le Parisien noted that the announcement of the government study not only alarmed students but also angered school administrations and education experts. School directors pointed out that the "phone in recess" program implemented in middle schools since 2025 is practically unfeasible due to a lack of resources and difficulty in supervision.
Researcher Anne Cordier, professor of information and communication sciences, addressed an open letter to the French president criticizing the government's reliance on prohibition instead of education, demanding studies that highlight the risks and aim to understand digital phenomena rather than confining them. She also emphasized the current policies' neglect of the richness of digital experiences among youth and their departure from the school's role of accompanying rather than suppressing.
Cordier points out that seven out of ten youths regularly follow the news, and 53% rely on social media as a source of information, benefiting from it in various fields including geopolitics, health, education, and self-education.
In conclusion, Cordier addressed Macron decisively stating: "We are at a crossroads: do we want education or prohibition? Do we want to grant trust or spread doubt? I choose resistance; resistance through science, education, and trust in our youth."
