French Court Blocks Bill Banning Under-15s From Social Media – Daily Citizen

France’s high court blocked a bill last Friday which would have banned children under 15 years old from accessing social media. The bill, which French legislators passed in a 279-81 vote on July 21, would have required platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat to prevent children under 15 from creating new accounts on September 1. Social media platforms would have had to exclude all users under 15 by January 2027. The country’s Constitutional Council struck down the proposed legislation on August 10, finding it violated citizens’ right to freedom of expression and failed to include adequate privacy protections. Though the court reportedly acknowledged the government’s legitimate interest in protecting children, it found the bill “infringes freedom of expression and communication in a manner that is not appropriate, necessary or proportionate [to that interest].” Following the Council’s order, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to redraft the proposed ban.   “The objective pursued since 2017 by the head of the state on the protection of minors online remains unchanged: to protect the best interests and health of our children while the harmful effects of social networks on them are scientifically documented,” Macron’s office wrote in a statement Friday.
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