France Strikes Down Social Media Ban for Children Under 15

France’s Constitutional Council has struck down a proposed ban on social media access for children under the age of 15, ruling that the measure infringed on freedom of expression.

The decision, issued Friday, represents a major setback for President Emmanuel Macron’s push to impose one of Europe’s toughest restrictions on children’s access to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and other social networks.

Constitutional Council Blocks Under-15 Social Media Ban

French lawmakers had approved legislation that would prevent children younger than 15 from accessing social media.

However, the Constitutional Council found constitutional problems with the measure, particularly because enforcing the ban would effectively require all social media users — including adults — to prove their age before accessing affected services.

The council said lawmakers had failed to establish sufficient conditions and safeguards governing how such age verification would operate.

It concluded that the restrictions therefore did not adequately protect constitutional rights involving freedom of expression and communication.

Macron Orders Government to Rewrite Law

Following the ruling, Macron instructed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to rework the legislation and address the Constitutional Council’s objections.

The French president remains determined to introduce restrictions on social media access for children and wants revised legislation implemented before France’s 2027 presidential election.

France’s original proposal had attracted international attention as governments worldwide debate how far they should go in restricting children’s access to social media.

The ruling means the under-15 social media ban cannot take effect in its current form, but the French government is already preparing another attempt to introduce the restrictions.