{
  "id": 1381374,
  "title": "France’s top court blocks social media ban for under-15s",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/16/frances-top-court-blocks-social-media-ban-for-under-15s-1381374",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-16T22:07:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/frances-top-court-blocks-social-media-ban-for-under-15s/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "France's highest court has rejected a ban on social media for users under 15, stating that the legislation violated freedom of expression. Backed by French lawmakers in July, the ban would have made it the first European country to restrict young people's access to online platforms, following concerns about their impact on children's mental health. The Constitutional Council overturned the ban on Friday, reversing the plan that Emmanuel Macron had promised to implement in stages beginning in September. In response, Macron promptly asked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to draft a revised version incorporating the council's recommendations. Last month, Lecornu submitted certain sections of the legislation to the council for scrutiny. The council ruled that Article 1 of the law \"constitutes an infringement that is neither appropriate, necessary, nor proportionate\" to safeguard freedom of expression and communication for under-15s. The ruling also highlighted concerns regarding the law's age-verification requirement and the absence of necessary legal safeguards. Macron's office declared that the government would swiftly propose a new draft and emphasized the president's commitment to implementing the reform by early 2027. Critics had previously questioned the law's practicality, privacy issues, the reliability of age-verification mechanisms, and the potential for young people to circumvent the ban. Australia was the first country to impose a social media ban for users under 16 in December, although many still use the platforms. In recent months, restrictions on young people's access to social media have been increasing across Europe. In May, the European Commission President suggested a \"social media delay\" for children in the EU, with new legislation potentially being proposed soon. The UK's former Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, announced in June that under-16s in the UK would be barred from social media starting in January 2027, along with an optional 12:00 AM curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds.",
  "summary": "France's top court has struck down a ban on social media for under-15s, saying it infringed upon freedom of expression.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}