Macron revives ban on social media for under-15s, notifies EU of new bill

France is reviving its push to ban children under 15 from social media, after a previous version of the legislation was struck down as unconstitutional.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday on X, formerly Twitter, that "after rigorous technical review, the government is notifying the European Commission of a new bill on Monday." The notification is a key legislative step that member states must take to ensure their laws do not conflict with EU rules.

Macron has made the social media ban a priority and has expressed hope that it will take effect before he leaves office next May.

The original bill, which passed both chambers of parliament in July, would have barred children under 15 from creating social media accounts and required existing accounts to be closed after a grace period.

France's Constitutional Council struck it down on Aug. 14, ruling that the blanket prohibition constituted an "inappropriate, unnecessary and disproportionate" infringement on the freedom of expression and communication of minors under 15.

While the council did not dispute the need to protect young people from the risks of social media, it found that the bill's across-the-board approach unduly restricted fundamental rights. In response, the Macron government said it would revise the legislation and reintroduce it.