PARIS, France: France's Constitutional Council blocked a proposed ban on social media access for children under 15 on August 14, ruling that the legislation infringed on freedom of expression and privacy and prompting President Emmanuel Macron to order it rewritten.

The bill would have prevented children younger than 15 from opening social media accounts from September 1. Existing accounts belonging to under-15s would have been closed within four months by social media platforms, which would also have been required to use age-verification systems approved by France's privacy regulator.

The Constitutional Council found that while the legislation required everyone to provide proof of age, it failed "to specify the conditions and limits" under which that proof should be provided.

"The Council holds that the contested provisions, on the one hand, disproportionately infringe upon the freedom of expression and communication and, on the other, fail to provide the legal safeguards necessary to ensure the right to respect for private life," it said.

French lawmakers approved the bill in July, making France the first European country to follow Australia, which introduced a ban on social media access for children under 16 in December.

Australian lawmakers are considering stricter penalties after data showed mixed success from the restrictions.

Other countries, including China, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey, have either introduced measures to restrict or bar young people's access to social media or said they plan to do so. The European Union has also said it plans to seek stronger protections for children from harmful social media features.

Social media companies generally oppose blanket bans, saying they already have measures in place to protect younger users, including age restrictions, and that they would comply with government bans.

Google, Meta, Snap and TikTok did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Macron has ordered Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to rework the draft legislation to address the Constitutional Council's concerns, the Elysee said in a statement.

In April, Macron urged teenagers to turn off their devices and read to become better citizens.

The Elysee said Macron remains determined to have the reform take effect before spring 2027, when France holds a presidential election. Macron cannot run for a third term.