France's Constitutional Council struck down on Friday the main article of a law prohibiting social media access for under-15s, one of President Emmanuel Macron's flagship initiatives. The council found that the measure represents "a disproportionate violation of the freedom of expression" of minors.
The Socialist Party and La France Insumisa filed a challenge before the court after both chambers approved the law in the final parliamentary session before the summer recess. The law was set to enter into force on 1 September, which would have made France the first European country to implement such a prohibition. The Council found that the measure is too broad and "liable to be applied to other online services whose health risks are not proven".
Macron asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to draft a "legally robust" version of the censured article that respects the court's decision and the European framework. The Élysée stated that the State's objective remains "to safeguard the best interests and health of our children from the harmful effects of screens".
France leads an international coalition seeking to restrict minors' access to social media. In April, Macron brought together European leaders including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to establish common guidelines. Spain announced in February a similar ban for under-16s, while the United Kingdom passed a measure set to come into force in early 2027.
There were numerous doubts about the law's implementation. The court warned about the privacy consequences for users that an age verification system would entail. The law did not clearly specify which platforms would be prohibited nor precisely define what constitutes a social media network, according to the Constitutional Council.