Reddit challenges Australia’s teen social media ban, says either declare the law invalid or…

Reddit, the popular community-focused forum, has filed a legal challenge against Australia's new social media ban for teenagers under 16, arguing that the law is “ineffective” and violates freedom of political communication. The law came into effect on Wednesday (December 10) and targets ten major services, including Meta's Instagram, Google’s sister company YouTube, ByteDance’s TikTok, Snapchat, Elon Musk’s X and Reddit.

In its application to Australia's High Court, Reddit contends that the law is “invalid on the basis of the implied freedom of political communication,” arguing that it “burdens political communication”, according to a report by news agency Reuters. The company further claims that the political views of children inform the electoral choices of many current electors, including parents and teachers.




Reddit said that while it agrees with the importance of protecting minors, the law could isolate teens “from the ability to engage in age-appropriate community experiences (including political discussions)”.

Australia’s teen social media ban: What Reddit wants

In its legal application, Reddit wants the highest court of the country to either declare the law invalid or to exclude the platform from the provisions entirely. The platform argued that it should not be subject to the law because it operates more as a forum for adults facilitating “knowledge sharing” than as a traditional social network.

Reddit further emphasised its operational differences, highlighting that it does not import contact lists or address books, and that it is “significantly different from other sites that allow for users to become ‘friends’ with one another, or to post photos about themselves, or to organise events”.

Reddit argued that the law is counterproductive for safety, stating that a person under 16 “can be more easily protected from online harm if they have an account, being the very thing that is prohibited”. Having an account allows the use of settings that limit access to potentially harmful content.