France's Constitutional Council struck down the under-15 social media ban on constitutional grounds.
Why it matters: The ruling leaves unresolved how France will set age-verification rules for platforms, what compliance costs companies could face, and how far Paris can go under EU law. It also pushes the country toward a revised legislative path after lawmakers had backed a September start.
- The Constitutional Council said the ban would disproportionately infringe freedom of expression and communication.
- France's parliament approved the law on July 21, and it was set to take effect in September 2026.
- President Emmanuel Macron said he still wants a revised version and asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to move quickly.
- The Senate summary said the proposal targeted Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat, with exemptions for encyclopedias, educational and scientific directories, and free-software development platforms.
France's Constitutional Council struck down a law that would have banned children under 15 from using social media, saying the measure would "disproportionately infringe freedom of expression and communication". The decision was issued Friday in Paris, according to the AP.
The ruling blocks a measure that France's parliament approved on July 21 and had been set to take effect in September, alongside a ban on cell phones in high schools, Le Monde reported.
Macron has framed the restrictions as a child-safety measure. In April, the Élysée said France wanted to use age-verification tools while preserving privacy, and after the ruling Macron said, "We will keep going" and asked Lecornu to work "as quickly as possible on a legally robust proposal" aligned with the court's ruling and European law. Élysée AP
The Senate's bill summary said the proposal was built around the EU Digital Services Act, France's 2024 digital safety law and the European Commission's July 2025 guidance on protecting minors online. It said the measure would have applied to major platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and Snapchat, while exempting encyclopedias, educational and scientific directories, and free-software development platforms. French Senate
By the numbers
- 15 - Age below which France sought to ban social media use.
- July 21 - Date parliament approved the law.
- September 2026 - Planned start date for the ban before the ruling.
Yes, but: Macron has not given a firm date for a revised proposal, and the court's ruling means any new measure will need tighter constitutional and legal safeguards.
What's next: Macron has asked Lecornu to present a legally robust revised proposal as quickly as possible, but no specific timetable was given.