Constitutional & Policy Balancing
How European nations attempt to balance child protection imperatives with fundamental rights and privacy [cite: 78].
France: The July 2026 Law & August Judicial Intervention
In July 2026, France's Parliament voted to prohibit social media access for minors under 15 without explicit parental authorization [cite: 78].
Judicial Ruling • August 14, 2026
Constitutional Council Strikes Down Key Provisions
France's highest constitutional authority ruled that blanket restrictions violated freedom of expression in a manner "neither appropriate nor proportionate," raising severe privacy warnings regarding mass identity verification [cite: 78].
UK & Northern Europe
- United Kingdom: Under the Online Safety Act framework, the UK announced mid-2026 plans to legislate an under-16 social media ban by late 2026, aimed for Spring 2027 enforcement [cite: 78].
- Denmark: Finalized cross-party backing in late 2025 for an under-15 platform ban linked to a state-issued digital ID app [cite: 78].