The Supreme Court of France has blocked the ban on the use of social networks for those under 15 years old, approved by Parliament last month, which is a setback for President Emmanuel Macron, the main promoter of the bill.
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The ban is unconstitutional because it violates the freedom of expression and communication of young people, according to a ruling issued this Friday by the Constitutional Council, based in Paris.
After the ruling, Macron’s office stated that the president will continue to push the reform before his term ends next spring. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu will work on drafting “legally solid legislation that takes into account the decision of the Constitutional Council,” the statement said.
Macron will continue to push the reform before his term ends
This resolution is the first indication that the global trend to restrict social media use among younger teenagers may not overcome legal and technical obstacles. France had been the first major European nation to pass a law on this matter, following the path of the historic ban initiated by Australia in December 2025.
Dozens of governments plan to follow suit, although critics argue that forcing tech companies to verify users’ ages is unfeasible and infringes on their privacy. A preliminary assessment of the Australian ban — aimed at preventing those under 16 from accessing social media — revealed that, so far, it has had little impact on how teenagers use them.
Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and TikTok among the platforms most affected
According to the French legislation approved in July, those under 15 would not be able to create new accounts starting in September. The total ban for existing profiles would have come into effect in January.
The platforms most affected would have been Instagram, WhatsApp, and Facebook (from Meta Platforms Inc.), Snap Inc., X (from Elon Musk), YouTube (from Google), and the Chinese TikTok.
This decision marks the beginning of what promises to be a wave of new regulations and pressures the EU to adopt a unified approach on the issue.
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Macron has promoted the initiative among other EU leaders and G7 countries. Germany, Greece, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, Austria, Ireland, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Canada have shown interest in similar measures; meanwhile, the EU has introduced an app to confirm users’ ages online and thus help coordinate verification requirements across the bloc.
Macron has cited “loneliness,” “bullying,” and the cognitive development of teenagers as reasons to justify the ban. Previously, he criticized the “American platforms and Chinese algorithms” for exploiting young people’s emotions. “Our children’s brains are not for sale,” he said in a video last January.
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