French court blocks Macron's social media ban for under-15s

France's constitutional council has blocked President Emmanuel Macron's plan to ban social media access for children under 15, ruling that the proposed law infringes upon freedom of expression and privacy rights. This decision marks a significant setback for Macron's administration, which aimed to implement the ban from September.

The law, approved by parliament in July, would have required tech platforms to close existing accounts for under-15s within four months and implement age-verification tools approved by France's privacy regulator. However, the constitutional council found that the legislation failed to specify the conditions and limits for age verification. It also determined that the restrictions disproportionately infringed upon individuals' freedom of expression and communication, as well as their right to privacy.

This ruling comes as several countries globally are introducing or considering similar restrictions on children's social media use. Australia, the UK, Indonesia, and Malaysia have already implemented or are preparing to implement age-based restrictions on major platforms. The European Union is also working on stronger protections for children from harmful online content.

Social media companies generally oppose blanket bans, arguing they already have measures in place to protect younger users, such as a minimum age of 13. Macron has asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to rework the legislation to address the constitutional council's concerns, expressing determination for the reform to take effect before the 2027 presidential election.

“

The council holds that the contested provisions, on the one hand, disproportionately infringe upon the freedom of expression and communication and, on the other, fail to provide the legal safeguards necessary to ensure the right to respect for private life.