France’s top constitutional authority has rejected a bill seeking to ban children under 15 from using social media, ruling that the proposed restrictions would disproportionately infringe on freedom of expression and communication.

The Constitutional Council said the legislation was too broad and failed to take into account the individual circumstances of minors or the different levels of risk associated with various digital platforms.

The judges also raised concerns about privacy, noting that enforcing the proposed age restriction could require every user, including adults, to verify their identity before accessing social media platforms.

While recognising the government’s legitimate objective of protecting children online, the court ruled that the proposed legislation infringed freedom of expression and communication in a manner that was “not appropriate, necessary or proportionate.”

The court further noted that the proposed system would have significant technical implications because adults would also have to prove their age before accessing social media.

French lawmakers had overwhelmingly backed the bill, which would have made France the first European Union country to impose a minimum age of 15 for social media use.

Despite the ruling, the French government said it remained committed to strengthening protections for minors online.

President Emmanuel Macron has directed Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to revise the proposal “as quickly as possible,” with the aim of producing a legally sound framework by spring 2027.

The development comes amid growing global efforts to regulate children’s access to social media, with governments in several countries reviewing minimum-age requirements following similar restrictions introduced in Australia.