Reddit Challenges Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s in Court

American online forum Reddit has launched a legal challenge against Australia's groundbreaking law prohibiting children under 16 from opening accounts on major social media platforms. The lawsuit, filed in the High Court, argues that the law violates Australia's implied freedom of political communication. Reddit is among the platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, listed as restricted under the Australian eSafety Commissioner’s regulations. The legal move follows a similar case by the Digital Freedom Project last month. Reddit criticized the law for imposing intrusive verification processes on adults and isolating teens from age-appropriate online communities. The law, enforced on December 10, mandates platforms to block users under 16 or face fines of up to $33 million. Reddit seeks to have the law declared invalid or exclude itself from the restricted list. The Australian government defends the law as a measure to protect minors from excessive screen time, manipulative design, and harmful content.