France's top court has blocked proposed legislation that would have prohibited children under 15 from accessing social media platforms, citing concerns over freedom of expression and inadequate privacy safeguards.

France's Constitutional Council rejected a bill on Friday that would have barred minors under 15 from creating social media accounts, dealing a significant blow to President Emmanuel Macron's legislative agenda. The proposal, which French lawmakers had approved in July, would have forced platforms including Facebook, TikTok, Snapchat and YouTube to close existing accounts belonging to children in that age group within four months.

The court found the legislation fundamentally flawed in its approach to age verification. While acknowledging the bill's intent to protect minors, the Constitutional Council determined that it failed to establish clear conditions and boundaries for how age verification should function. More critically, judges ruled that the blanket restrictions disproportionately infringed upon freedom of expression and communication while lacking sufficient legal protections for privacy rights.

The French bill would have positioned the nation as a European pioneer in regulating youth social media access, following Australia's December implementation of a world-first ban targeting users under 16. However, Australian lawmakers are currently reviewing whether to impose stricter penalties, as early data has shown mixed results from their approach.

Macron has responded by instructing Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to revise the legislation to address the court's concerns. According to statements from the Elysee, Macron remains committed to implementing social media reforms before spring 2027, when France will hold its next presidential election. Social media companies have generally opposed blanket bans, arguing they already employ protective measures for younger users, though they have indicated willingness to comply with government mandates.