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Aug 14, 2026

France's constitutional court strikes down social media ban for under-15s

France's Constitutional Council ruled against legislation that would have banned social media for children under 15, citing infringement on freedom of expression. The law, backed by President Emmanuel Macron and approved by lawmakers in July, was France's first attempt at such a ban in Europe.

Aug 14, 20264 sources

Top claims

▪Opponents of the French social media ban raised concerns regarding privacy, the efficacy of age-verification tools, the risk of young people bypassing them, and the speed of the legislative process.
▪The Constitutional Council stated that by prohibiting minors under 15 from accessing certain online services, the French social media ban inherently requires adults to prove their age before accessing them.
▪Following the court ruling on August 14, 2026, French President Emmanuel Macron instructed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to prepare a revised, legally robust draft of the social media ban.

People involved

Emmanuel Macron

Subtopics

Digital content rights Child online safety Constitutional law Social media regulation

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