France's Top Court Blocks Under-15 Social Media Ban, Cites Free Speech

The Constitutional Council, France's highest court, has invalidated a law that prohibited children under 15 from using social media. The ruling states that the law unduly restricts freedom of expression and communication and lacks legal safeguards to protect these rights. France was the first country in the European Union to implement a blanket ban on social media platforms due to growing worries about their negative impacts on children.

The legislation, passed by both houses of parliament, also forbade the use of mobile phones in secondary schools. This was one of the final major actions taken during President Emmanuel Macron's presidency, which ends next year. Macron had initially planned for the law to take effect at the beginning of the new school year, but the bill required constitutional review.

The president has vowed to ensure the ban is enforced by spring. He has instructed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to swiftly develop a legally sound proposal that takes into account the Constitutional Council's decision and the European legal framework. Ultimately, it will be the President, the Government, and Parliament who decide on the methods and mechanisms to safeguard children from social media by the end of the current term.