Reddit challenges Australia’s under-16 social media ban, calls it ‘ill thought out’

In late 2025, Australia enacted a law prohibiting individuals under 16 from accessing social media.

Australia’s world-first ban on social media accounts for children under 16 is “ill thought out” and imposes a “profound restriction on political debate”, a lawyer representing Reddit told the country’s top court during the first legal challenge to the legislation.Reddit and a libertarian advocacy group have approached the High court to challenge the law, which prohibits major social media platforms from allowing under-16s to hold accounts. The legislation came into force in late 2025, receiving backing from parents but facing opposition from technology companies.According to the news agency Reuters, a ruling against the law could encourage further legal challenges by affected platforms and potentially slow the adoption of similar restrictions worldwide. Countries including Britain and Malaysia are also pursuing measures aimed at safeguarding young people’s mental and physical well-being.The Australian government and its communications minister, who has been named as a defendant, have said they will contest the challenge.

Reddit argues ban restricts young people’s voices

Representing Reddit, lawyer Perry Herzfeld told the court that preventing under-16s from maintaining social media accounts also denied them the ability to create or respond to content on what he described as the modern world’s most important communication platforms.“That is a very profound restriction on political debate in Australia,” Herzfeld said, adding that the law placed a significant limit on what young people could do.He said Reddit supported the objective of minimising harm to young users but argued that the legislation was not an effective way to achieve it. Describing the law as “ill thought out” and “inept”, Herzfeld said it did not prescribe specific measures to prevent minors from accessing platforms.He also argued that the restrictions failed to cover other online spaces where cyberbullying occurs, including gaming websites.Herzfeld pointed out that although posting or commenting on social media generally requires users to log into an account, a considerable amount of content remains accessible to people without one.“If the Commonwealth is worried about particular features (of social media), it should regulate the features, which it has not done,” he told the court.

Australia toughens enforcement measures

Since the ban took effect, several studies, including research by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner, have found that most teenagers below the age limit continue to access social media.In response, the government has doubled the maximum penalty for platforms that fail to comply with the law to A$99 million ($69.5 million). It has also expanded the eSafety Commissioner’s powers to obtain information and said it is preparing enforcement proceedings against some of the largest social media companies.