France's Constitutional Council blocks law barring under-15s from social media
France's Constitutional Council has struck down a law that would have banned children under 15 from using social networks, saying it violated freedom of expression.
France’s Constitutional Council has blocked a law that would have banned children under 15 from using social networks. The council said the measure ran counter to freedom of expression, and as a result the legislation will not enter into force.
The French parliament approved the bill in July. With that vote, France became the first country in the European Union to pass a legal ban on social media use for minors below the age of 15. Before the law could take effect, it had to be reviewed by the Constitutional Council. French procedure requires all laws approved by parliament to go through this review, and only after the council gives its approval can the president formally sign them.
Reuters reports that the council’s decision represents a setback for President Emmanuel Macron. Macron has now tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu with drafting a new version of the law that would be “legally flawless.” The Élysée Palace has said that the president remains determined to achieve the reform despite the ruling.
