France’s highest court has struck down legislation that would have prohibited social media use among those under 15 years old, determining the restrictions were incompatible with constitutional protections for freedom of expression. The ban had been approved by French lawmakers in July, positioning France as the first European nation to implement such a measure amid growing concerns about social media’s effects on children’s mental health.
The Constitutional Council, a nine-member body responsible for reviewing whether laws comply with the French constitution, issued its decision on Friday. The court found that the legislation’s core provisions violated Article 1 of the constitution by imposing restrictions that were neither appropriate, necessary, nor proportionate to protect the stated interests. Additional concerns raised by the council centered on age-verification requirements, which the court said lacked adequate legal protections and safeguards.
President Emmanuel Macron, who had previously committed to implementing the ban in phases starting in September, responded by directing Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to develop a revised version that addresses the constitutional concerns identified by the council. The government indicated it intends to present a new draft as quickly as possible, with implementation targeted for early 2027.
The original legislation would have prevented anyone under 15 from creating new social media accounts beginning in September, with the restrictions extending to existing accounts by January. The measure faced considerable opposition from critics who questioned its enforceability and raised issues regarding privacy protection, the reliability of age-verification technology, and the likelihood that young people would circumvent the restrictions.
The French action reflects broader European momentum toward regulating youth social media access. Australia implemented a comparable ban for those under 16 late last year, though widespread non-compliance has been documented. Additionally, the United Kingdom has announced plans to prohibit under-16s from using social media beginning in early 2027, while the European Commission has proposed developing EU-wide restrictions on social media access for children in coming months.
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