France's constitutional court has ruled that a bill banning social media use for teenagers under the age of 15 is unconstitutional.

According to AFP and other reports, the French Constitutional Council issued an unconstitutional ruling on the legal provisions banning social media use for minors under 15 on the local date of today (the 14th).

The Constitutional Council pointed out that the provisions impose "an inappropriate, unnecessary, and disproportionate infringement on the freedom of expression and communication of minors under 15."

Apart from the legislative objective of protecting minors from the risks of social media, the council concluded that a blanket ban on social media use for those under 15 excessively restricts fundamental rights.

The Constitutional Council also pointed out that among the social media platforms the government sought to block minors from accessing were those for which "risks to the health and safety of minors have not been proven."

The council further judged that the age verification system for platforms requested by the French government would require all users, including adults, to disclose specific information in order to ban a certain age group from using social media, which violates the principle of privacy protection.

However, the Constitutional Council did not deny the inherent need to protect youths from the dangers of social media.

Thus, it left open the possibility that social media regulation remains achievable if the government or parliament redesigns the law in a more sophisticated and restrictive manner.

Approved by the French Senate and National Assembly on July 21, the bill would have barred teenagers under 15 from opening social media accounts starting September 1, when the new school year begins.

Existing accounts were to be closed, with platforms granted a four-month grace period.

The Élysée Palace, the presidential office, immediately issued a statement saying, "The President has instructed the Prime Minister to draft a robust bill as soon as possible, taking into account the decision of the Constitutional Council and the European legal framework."

"Based on this, it will be up to the President, the government, and parliament to determine the methods and means to protect our children from social media until the end of the term," the Élysée Palace added, noting that "the President's determination to accomplish this reform by next spring remains firm."

(Photo: Yonhap News)