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France’s top court blocks under-15 social media ban, citing constitutional freedoms

PARIS (AP) — A top court in France on Friday struck down a law banning children under 15 from using social media, saying it infringes on fundamental freedoms.

The Constitutional Council ruled that provisions in the ban “disproportionately infringe freedom of expression and communication” and haven’t provided legal guarantees to ensure those rights, according to a press release summarizing the decision.

France last month became the first country in the European Union to pass a blanket ban on the platforms amid rising worldwide concerns about the harmful effects of digital content on kids.

Both chambers of the Parliament had voted in favor of the measure, which also banned the use of mobile phones in high schools.

The legislation was one of the final major measures adopted under French President Emmanuel Macron’s presidency before he leaves office next year. Macron wanted the law to take effect at the start of the new school year in September, but the bill faced a review to determine whether it complied with the French Constitution.

Responding to the decision, Macron said in a statement that he was fully determined to see the ban take effect by spring and has tasked Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu “with working as quickly as possible on a legally robust proposal that takes into account the decision of the Constitutional Council as well as the European legal framework.”

“On this basis, it will be up to the President of the Republic, the Government, and Parliament to determine the means and mechanisms needed to protect our children from social media by the end of the current term of office,” he added.

How major US stock indexes fared Tuesday 8/18/2026

Wall Street pulled further from its all-time high Tuesday as AI stocks got back to sinking. The S&P 500 fell 0.7% for a third straight modest loss since setting its all-time high on Thursday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 1.3%. Nvidia, Micron Technology and Broadcom were some of the heaviest weights on the market amid criticism that their prices shot too high in the frenzy around AI. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market, while stock indexes were mixed in Europe and Asia.
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