France’s top court rejects bill banning children under 15 from using social networks – a violation of free speech

France’s top court has blocked a bill banning citizens under 15 from accessing social networks. They argue that such a ban infringes on free speech and would damage the reputation of the country’s president, who has previously asked the government to adjust the bill.

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The drafters of the above-mentioned bill proposed that starting from September 1 this year, children under the age of 15 will be prohibited from establishing accounts on social networks. Already registered accounts will be frozen for four months. In addition to this, there are plans to force social networks to use user age verification systems approved by local industry regulators.

During its review of the bill, France’s Constitutional Council found that while the law required all users to provide proof of age, it did not specify “Conditions and Restrictions”where this information was provided, and which also violated the rights to freedom and privacy. “The Council considers that the challenged provisions excessively infringe on freedom of expression and communication on the one hand and do not provide legal guarantees for the right to respect for private life on the other.”said a statement from the Constitutional Council.

In July, French lawmakers approved a bill banning people under 15 from accessing social networks. This is the first case of its kind in Europe. Australia is the first in the world in this regard, with access to platforms such as Facebook✴Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube have been banned from people under 16 since December. Australian authorities are currently considering tougher penalties for breaches of the ban, but with mixed results. However, several countries around the world have either already implemented restrictions on young people’s social media interactions or plan to do so soon.

It comes after European officials announced their intention to more strictly protect children from harmful content spread on social networks. Owners of large platforms generally oppose outright bans and say they have measures in place to protect younger users, such as age restrictions. At the same time, in most cases, social network owners must comply with government bans.