France Social Media Ban: Top Court Blocks Under-15 Law Over Freedom of Expression
France’s top court has blocked a law banning social media access for children under 15, saying it infringed upon freedom of expression and lacked safeguards for age verification. President Emmanuel Macron has ordered Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to rewrite the legislation, with the Elysee saying he wants the reform in place before spring 2027.
France's top court on Friday, August 14, blocked a bill that would have banned social media access for children under 15, ruling that the legislation infringed upon freedom of expression. The decision is a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who has asked his government to rewrite the legislation while addressing the court's concerns.
The Constitutional Council said the proposed ban would effectively require everyone, including adults, to prove their age before accessing certain online services. It found that the legislation did not establish sufficient legal safeguards governing how such age verification would work. Social Media Ban for Children Under 15 Approved in France: Which Other Countries Have Age Limits? List Here.
Why Did France's Top Court Block the Ban?
"By prohibiting minors under the age of fifteen from accessing certain online services, the law inherently requires every person, even an adult, to prove their age before accessing them," the Constitutional Council said in its decision.
"However, by failing to specify the conditions and limits under which such proof must be provided, the legislature has not established the legal safeguards necessary to ensure compliance with these requirements," it added. Meta Deactivates 7,50,000 Australian Teen Accounts Amid Ban Enforcement.
The court's decision effectively prevents the legislation from taking effect in its current form. The ruling focuses in particular on the age-verification mechanism required by the proposed law and whether adequate safeguards were included to protect individual rights.
Macron Orders Rewrite of Legislation
Macron has ordered Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to re-work the draft legislation to take the Constitutional Council's concerns into account, the Elysee said in a statement. The Elysee said Macron was determined the reform take effect before spring 2027, when France holds a presidential election.
Macron cannot run for a third term. The French government will therefore need to revise the proposed legislation before attempting to move it forward again.
France Followed Australia’s Lead
French lawmakers had approved a ban on social media access for children under age 15, making France the first European country to follow Australia's approach.
Australia introduced the world's first such ban in December, barring children under 16 from accessing platforms including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
France's proposal would have applied a lower age threshold of 15, placing it among the most significant efforts by a European government to restrict children's access to social media.
What Happens Next?
The French government is now expected to rework the legislation to address the Constitutional Council's objections, particularly those concerning age verification and legal safeguards.
Macron's government has indicated that it remains committed to the reform and wants the revised measures in place before the 2027 presidential election.
The court ruling means the proposed under-15 social media ban will not take effect in its current form, but the issue is expected to remain on France's political agenda.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 14, 2026 07:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
