French court voids New Caledonia TikTok ban

In France, the government was pinned by the Council of State. The highest administrative court ruled "illegal" the blocking of the TikTok application in New Caledonia in 2024, while the archipelago was experiencing a wave of deadly riots.

The government is entitled to block a social network in the case of "exceptional circumstances." But when he did it for TikTok during the clashes in New Caledonia in May 2024, the Council of State considered that this decision was "disproportionate".

French court voids New Caledonia TikTok ban

A temporary ban of a social media platform can be carried out by the French authorities, but the ruling says that the ban has to be of a fixed duration, and the TikTok ban was indefinite.

The temporary blocking of the TikTok social network by the government in New Caledonia during the murderous riots of 2024 was "illegal", the Council of State ruled on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, the highest administrative court held that the interruption constituted "a disproportionate infringement of rights and freedoms", but considered that such a decision could be legal in the event of "exceptional circumstances" on three conditions.

On 1 April the Council of State declared illegal the decision of the Prime Minister to interrupt TikTok in New Caledonia because of his "disproportionate" character and his violation of the freedoms of expression, communication and access to information. The Sages, however, have established three conditions under which such an interruption would be justified.