In brief
France’s Constitutional Council ruled that a newly approved law that would have barred children under 15 from social media violates their right to freedom of expression. The ban—proposed by lawmakers in July amid concerns over children’s mental health—was set to take effect in stages from September, but the ruling requires the government to revise the draft. The decision follows similar proposals in Europe, including the UK’s planned ban for under‑16s, and raises questions about the effectiveness of age‑verification tools. Macron’s administration will work to submit a new bill by early 2027, but the court’s mandate could reshape France’s approach to youth digital safety.
France’s top court overturned a newly‑approved law that would have barred children younger than 15 from accessing social‑media platforms, citing a breach of freedom of expression.
The ban—backed by lawmakers in July amid growing concern over online harms to children—was set to take effect in stages from September, with a full rollout of restrictions by the next year. The ruling, delivered on Friday, invalidates that schedule and will require the government to revise the draft.
President Emmanuel Macron promptly tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with drafting a revised bill that addresses the constitutional council’s findings. The council said that Article 1 of the legislation was “not appropriate, necessary or proportionate” to protect the rights of under‑15s and that the proposal failed to establish adequate legal safeguards for age verification.
The case comes amid a surge of proposals across Europe to curb youth exposure to social media. Ursula von der Leyen’s “social‑media delay” proposal and the UK’s plan to ban users under 16 from January 2027 follow France’s example.
While Australia first introduced a platform ban for under‑16s last December, reports indicate that many youths continue to use the services anyway, raising questions about the effectiveness of age‑verification tools.
French authorities say they will move forward with a new draft “as quickly as possible,” aiming to implement reforms by early 2027, but the court’s decision means that critics of the original law now gain a platform to push for stronger safeguards.
