France’s highest court blocked a ban on the use of social media by children under 15, which parliament approved last month. This decision was a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, who actively supported the bill.
The Paris Constitutional Council announced on Friday that the ban is unconstitutional because it restricts the freedom of speech and communication of young people. After the decision was made, Macron’s office stated that the president would continue to promote the reform until the end of his term next spring. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu will work on developing “legally sound legislation that takes into account the decision of the Constitutional Council”, the statement said.
Global consequences and plans
This decision was the first signal that global attempts to limit the use of social media by younger teenagers may face legal and technical obstacles. France became the first major European country to pass legislation on this issue after a landmark ban in Australia took effect in December 2025.
Dozens of governments plan to follow this example, although critics argue that requiring technology companies to verify the age of users is impractical and violates their privacy. A preliminary assessment of the Australian ban, aimed at preventing children under 16 from accessing social media, has so far shown little impact on their use by teenagers.
According to French legislation approved in July, teenagers under 15 would not be able to create new accounts starting in September. A full ban on existing profiles was to take effect in January. The biggest losers would be Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook, owned by Meta Platforms Inc., as well as Snap Inc., X by Elon Musk, YouTube by Google, and Chinese TikTok.
European coordination and Macron’s arguments
The adoption of the French law, now blocked, was to initiate a wave of new regulations and increase pressure on the EU to develop a unified approach to this issue. Macron promoted this initiative along with other leaders of the EU and G7 countries. Germany, Greece, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Austria, Ireland, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Canada have expressed interest in similar measures, and the EU has introduced an app for online age verification of users to help coordinate verification requirements across the bloc.
Macron cited “loneliness”, “bullying”, and the cognitive development of teenagers among the reasons for the ban. Earlier, he criticized “American platforms and Chinese algorithms” for profiting from the emotions of young people. “The brains of our children are not for sale”, he said in a video in January.
Source: Bloomberg
