French court declines social media ban for under-15s
The law had been approved by French lawmakers in July and would have made France the first European country to impose a nationwide social media ban on young people under 15.
France’s Constitutional Council has struck down a proposed ban that would have prevented children under 15 from using social media.
The country’s top constitutional body ruled that the measure infringed on freedom of expression and communication.
The law had been approved by French lawmakers in July and would have made France the first European country to impose a nationwide social media ban on young people under 15.
President Emmanuel Macron had planned to introduce the measure in phases beginning in September.
However, the Constitutional Council ruled on Friday that Article 1 of the legislation was not appropriate, necessary or proportionate in relation to the rights of under-15s.
The council also raised concerns about the requirement for users to prove their age before accessing online services.
It said the law did not provide the necessary legal safeguards for such a system.
Following the ruling, President Macron asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to prepare a revised draft that addresses the council’s objections.
The French presidency said the government would work as quickly as possible to bring back a new version of the reform.
Macron’s office also said the President remains determined to have the policy implemented by early 2027.
Under the rejected law, children under 15 would have been barred from opening new social media accounts from September.
Age verification would also have been required for all new accounts.
From January, the restrictions would have extended to existing accounts.
Supporters of the law had argued that tighter regulation was needed because of concerns about the impact of social media on children’s mental health.
Opponents, however, questioned whether the ban could work in practice.
They also raised concerns about privacy, the reliability of age-verification tools and the likelihood of young people finding ways around the restrictions.
The ruling comes as several countries consider stronger controls on children’s access to social media.
Australia introduced a ban for under-16s last December, although many young people are still believed to be using the platforms.
In Europe, debate over similar restrictions has intensified in recent months.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposed a “social media delay” for children in the European Union in May, saying new legislation could be introduced within months.
In the United Kingdom, former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced in June that under-16s would be banned from social media from January 2027.
An optional midnight curfew for UK teenagers aged 16 and 17 was also announced.
The French ruling means the government will now have to redesign its proposal if it wants to proceed with restrictions on children’s access to social media.
