French Constitutional Body Disagrees with Proposed Social Media Ban

France is planning to join a growing number of nations seeking to ban social media access for children. However, their efforts were set back by a decision from the nation’s top constitutional authority.

The Constitutional Council rejected a law passed last month seeking to prevent children aged less than 15 years from social media services because it believes it infringes on freedom of expression and communication. In a statement, the Council explained it believes that the measure also lacks sufficient legal safeguards around protecting the right to a private life.

The decision is a reality check for moves to restrict social media access, though it may not spell the end of French plans. The Council backed politicians’ ambitions to implement protections, but stated that the decision to implement a general ban could not be taken without infringing freedom and communications rights.

It indicated that the measures may be too broad, failing to provide for any specific assessment of the risk to individual children, nor any information relating to health and safety matters. The Council also took issue with the inevitable necessity for adults to prove their age; the law would invoke, noting the move lacked any determination of the conditions and limits within which it must be justified.