Reddit Challenges Australia's Controversial Social Media Ban for Minors

Sat Dec 13 2025 10:17:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a landmark legal move, Reddit contests Australia's new law banning social media accounts for users under 16, citing concerns over privacy and rights.

Reddit has initiated a legal challenge against Australia's recent ban prohibiting social media accounts for individuals under 16, arguing that the law threatens privacy and political rights. The Australian government has voiced strong support for the ban as a measure to protect children from harmful online content. The case raises significant questions about the balance between youth protection and individual freedoms.

Reddit has launched a challenge in Australia's highest court against the nation's landmark social media ban for children.

The online forum is among 10 social media platforms which must bar Australians aged under 16 from having accounts, under a new law which began on Wednesday.

The ban, which is being watched closely around the world, was justified by campaigners and the government as necessary to protect children from harmful content and algorithms.

Reddit is complying with the ban, but in its case, will argue that the policy has serious implications for privacy and political rights. It is the second such legal challenge, as two Australian teens also await a High Court hearing.

Despite the best intentions, this law is missing the mark, Reddit said in an update on its website.

There are more effective ways for the Australian government to accomplish our shared goal of protecting youth. Australia's Communications Minister Anika Wells has previously stated that the government will not be swayed by legal threats.

The ban also faces critiques from mental health advocates and some teens who argue it could rob young people of vital online connections, particularly those from marginalized communities.

Experts have raised concerns that kids might easily circumvent the ban, pointing to the ease with which age verification checks can be bypassed.

The case raises important questions regarding the delicate balance between protecting minors online and upholding their freedoms in a digital age, with potential implications that could resonate globally.