French Court Blocks Bill Banning Under-15s From Social Media

by Emily Washburn | August 19, 2026 | Culture

France’s high court blocked a bill last Friday which would have banned children under 15 years old from accessing social media.

The bill, which French legislators passed in a 279-81 vote on July 21, would have required platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat to prevent children under 15 from creating new accounts on September 1. Social media platforms would have had to exclude all users under 15 by January 2027.

The country’s Constitutional Council struck down the proposed legislation on August 10, finding it violated citizens’ right to freedom of expression and failed to include adequate privacy protections.

Though the court reportedly acknowledged the government’s legitimate interest in protecting children, it found the bill “infringes freedom of expression and communication in a manner that is not appropriate, necessary or proportionate [to that interest].”

Following the Council’s order, French President Emmanuel Macron ordered Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to redraft the proposed ban.

“The objective pursued since 2017 by the head of the state on the protection of minors online remains unchanged: to protect the best interests and health of our children while the harmful effects of social networks on them are scientifically documented,” Macron’s office wrote in a statement Friday.

The French Constitutional Council’s ruling leaves Australia the lone country in the world with an age-based social media ban. It began enforcing a law keeping children under 16 off social media in December 2025.

Dozens of other countries are reportedly considering such bans, including:

Austria
Denmark
Germany
Greece
Norway
Poland
Slovenia
Spain
Portugal
Canada
Thailand
Indonesia
Malaysia
United Kingdom

The European Union may also implement a policy preventing kids under 13 from accessing social media, AI chatbots and some video games.

Most social media platforms already prohibit users under 13 in their usage agreements.

Though France’s legal woes indicate age-based legal bans may be difficult to pass, the reality remains that social media harms children.

Earlier this month, a New Mexico judge ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a fund to amend harms caused by Facebook and Instagram. The company must pay the massive sum in addition to $375 million a New Mexico jury ordered them to pay in March for endangering children.

Judge Bryan Biedscheid also ordered Meta to add several safety features for users under 18, including:

Limiting minors to 90 hours on the platforms or less per month.
Shutting off push-notifications overnight and during school hours.
Requiring parental consent before minors can see how many likes their posts receive.
Blurring suspected nude images.
Preventing Meta chatbots from conducting sexual interactions with minors.

The changes will prevent Meta’s apps from causing further harm to minors in New Mexico, like they have to other teens around America and the world. Earlier this year, for instance, a Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube’s addictive social media platforms caused a young woman to experience sextortion, depression, anxiety and body image issues.

There’s no question: Governments and social media companies must take steps to protect children from harm. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen puts it in perspective:

In Europe, whoever develops a product is responsible for its safety. Car manufacturers must make their vehicles safe. We do not expect children to design their own seatbelts. We do not expect parents to fit airbags at home.

But parents bear ultimate responsibility for their children’s safety — and they should avoid products they know to be dangerous. Mounting evidence suggests social media is defective by design, so parents should seriously consider keeping their children away.

For more information on keeping your kids safe online, read the articles below.

Additional Articles and Resources

Counseling Consultation & Referrals

Parenting Tips for Guiding Your Kids in the Digital Age

New AI Tool Helps Parents Keep Kids Safe Online

Australia Bans Kids Under 16 Years Old From Social Media

New Mexico Judge Orders Meta to Pay Additional $567 Million Fine

More Than Twenty States Limit Smartphone Use in Schools

Texas Can Enforce App Store Accountability Act — For Now

Lawsuit Against Snapchat Latest in Social Media Accountability Push

Juries in California, New Mexico Rule Against Meta

New Mexico Accuses Meta of Egregious Harm to Children in Court Case