France top court stopped a new bill on Friday. The proposed law wanted a social media ban for under 15s across the nation. Judges ruled that the plan hurt personal freedom. They said it broke free speech rights for young citizens. The decision is a big setback for President Emmanuel Macron. He had backed the plan to protect young minds online. Now he must ask his team to write a new draft.
The original plan was very strict. It aimed to stop young children from starting new accounts. The rules were set to start on September 1. Existing accounts faced fast deletion. Digital platforms had four months to remove underage users. The law also demanded strict age checks. Companies had to use methods approved by local privacy guards. Many groups worried about how platforms would check user age.
Judges looked at the plan closely. They found the main ideas went too far. The legal panel said free expression must apply to all people. That right includes teenagers who use digital spaces every day. The court felt the proposed restriction was not fair. It did not balance safety with open expression. The decision forces leaders to rethink their online safety goals.
The ruling creates new work for government ministers. Officials must draft new text that respects basic rights. President Macron still wants strong safety guards for kids. He believes young users face real risks on web apps. He points to cyber threats and addiction as big concerns. Yet the law must pass legal standards to move forward.
Many tech leaders watched the case closely. The court choice sets a major record for Europe. European laws guard open speech and privacy rights fiercely. Restricting web access for youth is a hard task for any government. Rules must follow fundamental rights to stay active. Legal experts say lawmakers must find better paths to protect children online.
School rules remain a key topic of discussion too. The original bill also focused on high school rules. Leaders wanted to ban mobile phones in high school buildings. That part aimed to boost student focus during daily classes. Many teachers supported taking phones out of classrooms. But the broader legal defeat stalls the full package for now.
Parents hold mixed views on the ruling. Some parents wanted the social media ban for under 15s to start fast. They worry about long screen hours and online danger. They see social apps as a threat to sleep and mental health. Other parents prefer home rules over government bans. They believe families should guide phone use at home. They want schools to teach smart online habits instead.
Privacy advocates welcomed the court decision. They argue that strict age checks harm all users. To check age, platforms often collect private identity data. That process can risk user privacy online. Activists say governments should make platforms safer by design. They do not want to block users from public spaces. They want tech firms to curb harmful app features instead.
The government must now build a fresh approach. Lawmakers will consult legal experts and tech leaders soon. They hope to draft a law that stops online harm without cutting basic freedoms. President Macron wants a quick update to the policy text. He aims to bring a new plan back to lawmakers. The debate on youth online safety is far from over in France.
For now, youth under 15 can keep their web accounts. Tech platforms do not need to delete those profiles next month. But companies face rising pressure from public leaders everywhere. Regulators want safer web tools for kids across the globe. Lawmakers will keep looking for ways to protect young minds online. The world will watch how France adjusts its digital laws next.
