France: Constitutional Council annuls ban on social media use for those under 15

The ban was considered a “disproportionate infringement” on freedom of expression... and Macron tasked the prime minister with drafting a new law

In a legislative setback for a French bill aimed at curbing children’s use of social media platforms, the Constitutional Council annulled on Friday the law that banned the use of these platforms by individuals under the age of 15, ruling that the restrictions it imposed constituted a “disproportionate infringement” on freedom of expression.

The Council, which is France’s highest constitutional body, stated that banning minors under 15 from accessing certain online services inherently required all users, including adults, to verify their age before using them.

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It added that the legislature had not specified the conditions and controls under which age verification should be provided, meaning, in the Council’s view, that the necessary legal safeguards to ensure respect for rights and freedoms were not in place.

The French Parliament had finally approved the bill banning social media use by individuals under 15 on July 21, 2026, in a move described as a European first.

The law was scheduled to enter into force in September, as part of efforts to protect the health of children and adolescents from the effects associated with social media use.

Although the law included exceptions, particularly for electronic encyclopedias and educational and scientific guides, the Constitutional Council found the scope of these exceptions to be “very limited.”

Following the ruling, French President Emmanuel Macron tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with drafting a new version of the ban that would be “legally robust,” taking into account the Constitutional Council’s decision and European rules.

The French Presidency confirmed that work on the new version would proceed “as quickly as possible,” emphasizing Macron’s determination to complete this reform by spring 2027.