France’s Constitutional Council has rejected a proposed law seeking to ban children under the age of 15 from using social media, ruling that the measure disproportionately infringed on freedom of expression and communication.
The court said the proposed restrictions were too broad and failed to take into account the individual circumstances of minors or the different levels of risks associated with various digital services.
It also raised concerns about privacy, noting that enforcement of the proposed age restriction could require all social media users, including adults, to verify their identities or ages before accessing online platforms.
In its ruling, the council acknowledged the legitimate objective of protecting minors online but said the proposed legislation did not meet the requirements of proportionality.
“The draft bill infringes freedom of expression and communication in a manner that is not appropriate, necessary or proportionate,” the council said.
The court further noted that the proposed system would effectively require every person, including adults, to prove their age before accessing social media platforms.
French lawmakers had previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of the measure, which would have made France the first European Union member state to introduce a statutory minimum age of 15 for social media access.
Following the ruling, however, the French executive reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening protections for children online.
President Emmanuel Macron tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with revising the proposal “as quickly as possible” with a view to establishing a legally compliant framework by spring 2027.
The development comes amid a growing global debate over how governments should regulate children’s access to social media and protect minors from online harms.
Several countries are considering or have introduced minimum-age requirements for social media platforms, following Australia’s adoption of similar restrictions.
The French case has also renewed questions about how governments can balance child protection, privacy and freedom of expression while regulating access to digital platforms.
