Australia’s High Court hears bid to overturn under-16s social media ban
Summary
Australia’s High Court is hearing a challenge by Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project to the country’s ban on social media accounts for children under 16. The challengers argue the ban is difficult to enforce and restricts young people’s access to safety features and political discussion; the government says it aims to protect children from harmful content and online predators.Key Facts
- The ban took effect last December and covers platforms including Facebook, TikTok, YouTube and Reddit.
- Platforms must identify and delete accounts belonging to users under 16 and face fines for failing to meet their obligations.
- Reddit argues the ban’s effectiveness has been limited and says there is no scientific consensus on social media’s harms.
- Reddit says people can still access some material without an account, but may lose access to built-in safety features.
- A study published by Australia-based researchers in August found little evidence that teenagers had stopped using social media despite the ban.
- The Digital Freedom Project argues the ban is unconstitutional because it limits teenagers’ ability to take part in political communication.
- The article says the court’s timeline for deciding the case is unclear.
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