France's Constitutional Council struck down a law on Friday that would have prohibited children under the age of 15 from using social media. The council, a nine-member body responsible for ensuring laws comply with the French constitution, ruled that the ban infringed upon the freedom of expression and communication for minors. In response, President Emmanuel Macron directed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to draft a new version of the legislation that addresses the court's specific legal concerns.
The law was originally approved by French lawmakers in July, making France the first European nation to attempt a total block on social media access for this age group. The measure was proposed following concerns regarding the impact of digital platforms on children's mental health. However, Prime Minister Lecornu referred sections of the approved bill to the Constitutional Council for review before it could be fully implemented.
In its ruling, the council stated that Article 1 of the legislation was "neither appropriate, necessary, nor proportionate" to the goal of protecting minors when weighed against constitutional rights. The court also expressed concerns regarding the legal safeguards for age-verification tools and the requirement for users to provide proof of age to access online services. The original plan would have required age verification for all new accounts starting in September and for existing accounts by January.
The decision highlights a significant legal hurdle for governments attempting to regulate digital access through age-based restrictions. For tech companies and small-business owners who rely on social media marketing, the ruling maintains the status quo for their audience reach in France. However, the knock-on effects are already visible across Europe and Oceania. Australia implemented a similar ban for under-16s in December, and the United Kingdom has announced plans for a ban starting in January 2027. The French court's focus on "proportionality" and "freedom of expression" sets a legal precedent that may influence how other European Union member states draft their own upcoming digital regulations, such as the "social media delay" proposed by the European Commission.
What happens next is the development of a revised French bill. President Macron’s office stated the government intends to work as quickly as possible to propose a new draft that satisfies the Constitutional Council’s requirements. The president has set a target date of early 2027 for the reform to be fully implemented. Until new legislation is passed and survives further court review, social media access for French residents under 15 remains legally unrestricted by the state. British officials are also proceeding with their own timeline, including a planned optional midnight curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds in the UK.