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

France's Constitutional Council has ruled against a ban on social media access for children under 15, stating that the legislation disproportionately violates their freedom of expression. President Emmanuel Macron's law, which would have made France the first European country to enact such a ban, was deemed inappropriate, unnecessary, and disproportionate to the freedom of expression and communication of those under 15.

The ban was one of Macron's flagship measures, and the government now faces the choice of scrapping the measure or redrafting it and presenting it to parliament again. President Macron has instructed the Prime Minister to draft legally sound legislation that takes into account the Constitutional Council's decision and the European framework, with the goal of protecting children's best interests and well-being from the scientifically documented harmful effects of social media.