France's Constitutional Council Blocks Age Verification Bill for Under-15s

France's Constitutional Council struck down the Macron government's bill banning under-15s from social media, ruling that it violated freedom of expression and privacy for all internet users. The law, scheduled for September 1, would have required blanket age verification without adequate legal safeguards. The court acknowledged protecting children is legitimate but deemed the measure disproportionate. President Emmanuel Macron has ordered Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu to rewrite the ban before the spring 2027 election. The ruling is a setback for Macron, who promoted EU-wide age verification. Australia banned under-16s in December; the UK, Spain, Greece, and Denmark plan similar moves. The EU's age verification app, piloted in seven member states, was reportedly hacked within minutes. Critics like Cory Doctorow call age verification a surveillance system, while the Electronic Frontier Foundation warns it forces submission of government IDs.