France’s top court on Friday blocked the law that would have banned children under 15 from using social media, saying some of its provisions infringed on fundamental freedoms and failed to provide adequate privacy safeguards.The Constitutional Council said the legislation “disproportionately infringe[s] upon the freedom of expression and communication” and does not provide sufficient legal guarantees to protect the right to privacy.The law, approved by French lawmakers in July, would have barred children under 15 from opening social media accounts from September 1. Existing accounts would have been closed within four months, while platforms would have been required to verify users’ ages through a system approved by France’s privacy regulator.The court found that the requirement for users to prove their age did not sufficiently specify the conditions and limits under which such information would be collected and used.France had become the first country in the European Union to approve a blanket ban on social media access for under-15s, amid growing concerns over the impact of digital platforms on children. Australia introduced a similar world-first measure in December, restricting access to major platforms including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube for users under 16.Several countries, including China, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, have also introduced or proposed measures aimed at restricting young people’s access to social media. The European Union has separately said it plans to strengthen protections for children from harmful features on social media platforms.Social media companies have generally opposed blanket age bans, arguing that platforms already have measures to protect younger users, although they have also said they would comply with government requirements.Macron asks government to rework billFrench President Emmanuel Macron said he remained determined to introduce the ban and tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with rewriting the legislation to address the court’s concerns.Macron said he was “fully determined” to see the ban take effect by spring and asked Lecornu to work “as quickly as possible on a legally robust proposal that takes into account the decision of the Constitutional Council as well as the European legal framework.”“On this basis, it will be up to the President of the Republic, the Government, and Parliament to determine the means and mechanisms needed to protect our children from social media by the end of the current term of office,” Macron said.The Elysee said Macron wanted the reform to take effect before spring 2027, when France is due to hold its presidential election. Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.
