Reddit sues Australia over under-16 social media ban
Reddit has filed a lawsuit in Australia’s High Court seeking to overturn the country’s new nationwide social media ban for children under 16, arguing it poses a threat to free political communication.
The platform, one of Australia’s most popular online forums, said in its filing that the law is unconstitutional because it interferes with implied free political discourse, a protection recognised by Australia’s legal system, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Reddit also argued it should be exempt from the ban entirely, saying it does not meet the government’s definition of a social media platform.
The challenge comes just two days after Australia became the first country in the world to legally enforce a minimum age of 16 for accessing social media. Reddit’s lawsuit is the second major challenge, following an earlier case filed by two teenagers linked to a libertarian group.
With a market value of $44 billion, Reddit’s involvement significantly raises the stakes. A successful challenge could pave the way for other global tech platforms to contest the law.
A spokesperson for Communications Minister Anika Wells said the government stands “on the side of parents and kids, not platforms,” adding it would defend the law robustly.
Health Minister Mark Butler accused Reddit of prioritizing profit over safety, comparing the lawsuit to “Big Tobacco fighting tobacco control.”
Platforms including Reddit, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok previously campaigned against the law, warning it raises complex privacy and political expression issues. Under the new rules, platforms must block underage access or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million).
In its 12-page submission, Reddit argued that young people need access to political conversations:
“Citizens under the age of 16 will soon become electors. Their future choices rely on political communication they engage in before turning 18,” the filing said.
To comply with the law, platforms are now using tools such as age inference algorithms and selfie-based age estimation.
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