French Constitutional Council Strikes Down Law Banning Social Media for Under-15s

France's Constitutional Council, the country's highest constitutional court, has annulled legislation approved by parliament in July aimed at restricting access to social media platforms for those under fifteen years old.

The council ruled that the law constitutes "a disproportionate interference" with young people's freedom of expression, while simultaneously acknowledging that child protection is a constitutional requirement.

The council leveled two specific criticisms at the legislation: first, that the text lacked sufficient safeguards to identify the risks posed by social media to children's health and safety, and second, that it failed to clearly define the conditions under which age-verification mechanisms would be applied when accessing platforms.

Following the ruling, the Élysée Palace issued a statement saying President Emmanuel Macron has instructed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to prepare a replacement bill that is "legally robust." Macron reaffirmed his commitment to restricting social media use by those under fifteen, with the aim of passing the new legislation by spring 2027.

The ruling reveals that the law fell not because its objective is rejected, but because its drafting failed to meet the required constitutional precision — a distinction Macron's government chose to emphasize in its statement.