Overview
- The Constitutional Council ruled on Friday, August 14, 2026, that the law banning social media use by children under 15 disproportionately infringes their freedom of expression and communication.
- The measure had passed both chambers of parliament in July and would have blocked new account creation for under‑15s from September 1 and required existing accounts to close by January 1.
- President Emmanuel Macron has instructed Prime Minister Le Cornu to draft amendments and the presidential office said it aims to complete a revised reform by spring 2027.
- The council said the law's broad reach risked covering services where harms to children's health or safety were not proven and noted that the bill's limited exceptions were inadequate.
- The case places France in an international context of age‑based social media limits after Australia enacted a ban for under‑16s in December 2025 and could push the government to rely more on targeted platform rules and safety measures.