France’s Constitutional Council has struck down a proposed ban on social media access for children under 15, ruling that the measure infringed on freedom of expression and the right to privacy, in a significant setback for President Emmanuel Macron.
The council found that the legislation’s blanket restrictions on minors were disproportionate and failed to adequately protect the rights guaranteed under French law. The ruling halts what would have been one of Europe’s most sweeping efforts to keep younger teenagers off platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat.
Macron responded by vowing to prepare a new draft of the legislation, signalling that his government intends to press ahead with age-based restrictions despite the judicial rebuff. The president has repeatedly framed early social media exposure as a threat to children’s mental health and development.
The decision comes as momentum builds internationally for curbs modelled on Australia’s landmark law, which set a minimum age of 16 for social media accounts and placed the burden of enforcement on technology companies. Several governments have since studied similar frameworks.
In the United Kingdom, the House of Lords recently backed a measure restricting access for those under 16, reflecting a broader shift among Western democracies toward stricter age verification online.
Australia’s approach has drawn particular attention, with regulators there having earlier pressed the internet industry to shield children from harmful and inappropriate material. The country’s rules require platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent under-age users from creating accounts.
Supporters of such measures argue that social media exposes children to bullying, harmful content and addictive design features. Critics, including digital rights advocates, warn that age verification systems can compromise privacy and that outright bans risk driving young users toward less regulated corners of the internet.
The French council’s reasoning echoed these concerns, emphasising that restrictions must be carefully balanced against fundamental liberties. The ruling does not prevent lawmakers from crafting narrower rules, such as parental consent requirements or targeted content controls.
Macron’s government now faces the task of redrafting legislation that can satisfy constitutional scrutiny while still addressing the concerns that prompted the original proposal. A revised bill is expected to focus more narrowly on enforcement mechanisms and safeguards.
The outcome in France is likely to shape debate across the European Union, where policymakers are weighing how to reconcile child protection goals with the bloc’s strong privacy and free expression traditions.