France’s Constitutional Council has struck down a law that would have banned children under 15 from using social media, preventing France from becoming the first European country to introduce such a restriction. The court said the measure lacked sufficient legal safeguards because it would require all users, including adults, to prove their age without clearly defining how verification would work.

The legislation had passed the previous month and was backed by President Emmanuel Macron, who has asked the government to rewrite it to address the court’s concerns. France’s proposal follows Australia’s under-16 restrictions, while Denmark, the UK and Canada are also considering or developing similar measures; however, age-verification rules have faced legal and practical challenges.