Now Reading: France top court strikes down social media ban for under-15s
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France top court strikes down social media ban for under-15s
France's Constitutional Council on Friday struck down a law banning social media access for children under 15, ruling that Article 1 was an infringement on freedom of expression that was not appropriate,…
The Story in Brief
France's Constitutional Council on Friday struck down a law banning social media access for children under 15, ruling that Article 1 was an infringement on freedom of expression that was not appropriate, necessary or proportionate. President Macron, who had championed the legislation and promised to enforce it by September, has asked Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to produce a new draft that complies with the ruling and European regulatory framework. The Elysee said Macron's commitment to the reform remains undiminished. The court noted that the ban would force all users to prove age before accessing services, affecting even adults.
The Indian Opinion
The ruling reminds us that protecting children online is never simple. Some see a binary choice between free speech and safety, but the Council pointed to a real flaw: age verification would force all users to prove identity, eroding privacy for everyone. Macron's government must now draft a law that balances rights. The test will be whether the new text can survive Europe's strict data rules without turning every click into a government check.
Sources (3): hindustantimes.com, thehindu.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 3 sources linked above.
