French court strikes down social media ban for children under 15

France’s highest constitutional authority has struck down legislation that would have banned children under the age of 15 from using social media, ruling that the measure placed disproportionate restrictions on freedom of expression and communication.

The proposed law, which had received overwhelming support from French lawmakers, sought to prevent under-15s from accessing social media platforms as part of efforts to protect children from online harms.

However, the court found that the legislation was too broad because it failed to account for the individual circumstances of minors or differences in the risks posed by various online services.

Judges acknowledged that protecting children online was a legitimate objective but concluded that the proposed restrictions went further than necessary.

“The draft bill infringes freedom of expression and communication in a manner that is not appropriate, necessary or proportionate,” the court said.

The ruling also raised significant privacy concerns surrounding age verification. Judges noted that enforcing the ban would effectively require every social media user, including adults, to prove their age before gaining access to platforms.

Had the legislation taken effect, France would have become the first country in the European Union to impose such a social media age restriction.

Emmanuel Macron has nevertheless indicated that his government intends to continue pursuing restrictions on children’s access to social media.

Following the decision, Macron instructed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to revise the legislation “as quickly as possible” with the aim of producing a framework capable of surviving constitutional scrutiny and taking effect by spring 2027.

The French dispute forms part of a wider international debate over how governments should regulate children’s access to social media while preserving privacy and freedom of expression.

Australia has already introduced restrictions on social media access for younger users, while governments elsewhere are examining age-verification systems and minimum-age requirements as concerns grow over children’s exposure to harmful online content.