France has submitted a revised proposal to ban social media access for children under 15 after the country’s Constitutional Council rejected an earlier version of the law.
President Emmanuel Macron announced the move on Monday. He said the government had completed new technical work and notified the European Commission about the revised proposal.
The notification represents an important step because France wants the new measure to comply with European Union rules.
Constitutional Council Rejected Earlier Law
France’s Constitutional Council struck down the previous legislation in August.
The court found that the measure placed a disproportionate restriction on freedom of expression and communication. It also raised concerns about privacy protections.
The original law applied broadly to social media platforms and children under 15. The council said the legislation did not sufficiently account for differences between platforms, children’s ages and individual family circumstances.
As a result, the government could not put the planned ban into force at the start of the new school year.
Macron then ordered officials to revise the proposal.
Macron Pushes Ahead With Ban
Despite the setback, Macron has continued to make child protection online a major priority.
The French president wants the revised rules to restrict access to social media for people under 15. He has also called for similar rules across the European Union.
According to French government sources cited by AFP, the new proposal focuses on specific harmful or addictive features. These reportedly include automatic video playback, nighttime notifications and communication with unknown accounts.
That approach could help the government address some of the constitutional concerns that affected the previous law.
Macron has said he wants the French initiative to become a model for other European countries.
France Seeks EU Support
The French move comes as the European Union considers its own approach to protecting children online.
Macron recently urged European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to support an EU-wide ban for children under 15. He argued that common rules would provide stronger protection across the bloc.
The European Commission is also examining measures that could introduce age limits and stronger safeguards for minors.
Von der Leyen is expected to outline her position on the issue during her upcoming address to the European Parliament.
However, EU countries remain divided over how far governments should go. Some governments favour tougher age limits, while others prefer greater parental control.
Growing Global Concern Over Children Online
France is not alone in trying to restrict children’s access to social media.
Several countries have introduced or considered new measures as concerns grow about the effects of social media on young people.
Australia has already adopted some of the strictest restrictions for minors. Other governments are also examining age verification and limits on certain online services.
France now wants to move ahead with its own revised approach.
For Macron, the next challenge will be balancing child protection with constitutional rights and EU rules. The government will need to ensure that the new proposal avoids the legal problems that brought down the previous ban.
The revised plan could therefore become a major test of France’s effort to regulate social media while protecting freedom of expression and privacy.
