France’s top court blocks under-15 social media ban, cites constitutional concerns

France's top court has blocked a law that would have banned children under 15 from using social media, deeming it an infringement on fundamental freedoms. The Constitutional Council ruled on Friday that the legislation, approved by lawmakers in July, failed to provide sufficient safeguards for users' privacy and disproportionately restricted freedom of expression.

The law, set to take effect on September 1, would have required platforms to verify users' ages through a system approved by France's privacy regulator. Existing accounts would have been closed within four months. However, the court found that the age verification requirements did not sufficiently detail how user data would be collected and used, raising privacy concerns.

France had been poised to become the first EU country with a blanket ban on social media for under-15s, joining other nations like Australia, China, the UAE, and Turkey in introducing measures to restrict young people's online access. The European Union also plans to strengthen child protections on digital platforms.

Despite the court's decision, French President Emmanuel Macron remains committed to the ban. He has tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with rewriting the legislation to address the Constitutional Council's concerns. Macron aims for a legally robust proposal that aligns with European legal frameworks, with the goal of implementing the ban by spring 2027.