French Constitutional Council Strikes Down Social Media Ban for Young Teens

10:10 AM EDT, 08/14/2026 (MT Newswires) -- The French Constitutional Council blocked a law seeking to ban minors under 15 years old from online social networking platforms. The country's top constitutional court said Friday that the legislation, which was strongly advocated for by French President Emmanuel Macron, infringes on young teens' freedom of expression and communication, and that it did not provide sufficient safeguards for privacy rights. Macron's office said in response to the ruling that he instructed the country's prime minister to work on a legal draft that will take into account the court's concerns, with the aim of finalizing the reform by the end of his term in spring of 2027.