French Constitutional Council Strikes Down Under-15 Social Media Ban Citing Privacy and Free Speech Violations
In a significant legal blow to government legislation, the French Constitutional Council—the country's highest constitutional authority—has struck down a bill aimed at banning children under the age of 15 from using social media platforms. The Council ruled that the provisions of the law constitute a disproportionate violation of freedom of expression and privacy.
The bill, passed by the French Parliament in July, sought to establish strict guardrails around minors' access to digital platforms.
Overturned Provisions and Requirements
The proposed legislation included several strict operational mandates for tech platforms and underage users:
Provision / MeasureMandated Timeline & Requirement
New Account BanProhibited individuals under the age of 15 from creating new social media accounts starting September 1.
Existing Account ClosureRequired social media platforms to shut down existing accounts belonging to users under 15 within a four-month window.
Age VerificationCompelled technology platforms to implement age-verification systems certified by France's Data Protection Authority (CNIL).