France's Supreme Court rules that banning social media for under-15s limits freedom of expression

France approves law prohibiting the use of social networks by children under 15 years of age The Constitutional Council of France, the country's main constitutional court, blocked this Friday (14) a law that prohibited children under 15 years of age from accessing social networks. According to the court, the measure violates freedom of expression. The decision comes weeks after the French Parliament approved the ban, which aimed to prevent children under 15 from creating social media accounts. The measure was expected to come into effect in September. Requirement of proof of age One of the main problems highlighted by the court was the need to verify the age of users. Social networks banned for people under 16 in Australia: how it will work According to the Constitutional Council, by preventing people under 15 from accessing certain online services, the law would mean that all people, including adults, would need to prove their age to use these platforms. ??Do you have any reporting suggestions? Send to g1 For the court, the text approved by Parliament did not sufficiently establish the conditions and limits for this proof. The court stated that, without these rules, the legislator did not create the necessary legal guarantees to ensure compliance with the measure. Law had been approved in July The ban was approved by both houses of the French Parliament on July 21st. The text determined that minors under the age of 15 could not open new accounts on social networks from September 1st. The platforms would still have four months to close existing accounts. Hyperconnection — Photo: Hollie Adams/Reuters Companies would also be required to adopt age verification systems approved by the French body responsible for data protection. The proposal was part of an offensive by the French government to reduce children and adolescents' access to social media. President Emmanuel Macron defended that the measure would come into force at the beginning of the next academic year. ?Download the g1 app to see news in real time and for free France would be the first country in the European Union to adopt a broad ban on children under 15 years of age. Australia had already implemented a similar rule, prohibiting children under 16 from using some of the main platforms. This Friday's decision prevents, for the time being, the entry into force of the ban under the terms approved by Parliament.