France’s top court has blocked a bill to ban the use of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, among others, for children under the age of 15.
The state’s constitutional council ruled against a proposed bill from French lawmakers on Friday, following a bill to ban the use of social media by young children below the age of 15, saying that the law infringes “the freedom of expression and communication.”
The court also objected that the legislation failed to provide the necessary rights that are associated with the use of several social media platforms and the protection of individuals’ personal information and privacy.
President Emmanuel Macron said that banning minors from social media platforms would strengthen age-verification measures on online services, as the law requires users to verify their age before accessing such platforms.
Last month, French legislators approved a bill that blocked minors from accessing numerous social media platforms, which was set to take effect in September.
The bill also placed restrictions on the use of mobile devices in high school while maintaining the age restrictions.
Similarly, Australia has also placed restrictions on the use of social media by minors under age 16 as the first country in the world to pass the law.
