France’s highest court has blocked a law that would have barred children under 15 from social media apps such as TikTok and Instagram. President Emmanuel Macron has ordered his prime minister to rewrite the bill.
The ruling was handed down on August 14, according to DR, which cites reporting by Reuters. The court found that the law would infringe freedom of expression as it was written.
France had aimed to become the first country in the EU to exclude under-15s from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. The bill had already been passed by the French parliament before the court intervened, per DR.
In its decision, the court said that banning access for minors under 15 would in practice require every user to prove their age. That would include adults, who would also have to verify their age before using the services.
Reuters reported that the ruling turned on age-verification requirements and free-expression rights. It also reported that the legislation had been expected to take effect in September, and that Macron asked for the law to be rewritten after the decision.
France 24 described the blockage as a setback to Macron’s broader push to regulate children’s online access. The outlet noted that the government had presented the reform as a child-protection measure, and that the legal challenge delayed the timetable.
RFI reported that officials had been working toward a September start date for the ban. According to RFI, the court’s objection centered on the proportionality of the age-check requirement.
Macron had earlier presented France as a leader in Europe on child safety online. In a video shared on social media at the time, he said France was showing the way when it came to protecting children and teenagers.
Rewrite ordered before 2027 election
The president has now instructed his prime minister to revise the bill and take the court’s concerns into account, DR reports, citing a statement from the presidency. According to that statement, Macron is determined that the reform take effect before spring 2027.
The official French information portal Service-Public.fr states that the next presidential election is set for April 18 and May 2, 2027. Macron cannot run again, as he has served two terms.
