France's Under-15 Social Media Ban Blocked
France's Constitutional Council on 14 August struck down central elements of a July law that would have barred children under 15 from registering on certain social networks, citing insufficient protection for freedom of expression and unresolved technical issues around reliable age verification. President Emmanuel Macron, who championed a digital age limit of 15, has asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to produce a revised bill addressing the constitutional concerns, with a target to pass it by spring 2027. The ruling highlights the technical and privacy challenges of robust age checks (e.g., ID checks, biometric methods, third-party verification) and the risk of regulatory fragmentation across EU states as the Digital Services Act and national initiatives converge on child protection and identity verification requirements.
- •France's Constitutional Council identified constitutional problems with central parts of a July law that would have barred under-15s from certain social networks (decision noted on 14 August 2026).
- •The court cited inadequate consideration of freedom of communication and opinion and insufficient guarantees for reliable age verification methods.
- •President Emmanuel Macron tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to draft a revised bill that addresses constitutional objections, aiming for passage by spring 2027.