Australia's top court hears a challenge to its social media ban for under-16s

Two days of hearings began Tuesday in the High Court of Australia. Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project, an advocacy group led by New South Wales politician John Ruddick, are challenging the ban.

Maximum fine for serious or repeated breaches

99 million Australian dollars

Since Dec 10, 2025, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Reddit must take reasonable steps to keep out anyone under 16. Fines reach 99 million Australian dollars, but no company has been fined yet.

The evidence so far is that the effectiveness of the ban has been limited.

— Reddit, in its submission to the court

Digital Freedom Project

Limits political speech

Less safe, hard to enforce

The Digital Freedom Project argues the ban is unconstitutional because it restricts teenagers' political communication. Reddit says accounts had built-in safety features, while much content can still be seen without one.

What's next

The government says the ban protects young people from graphic content and online predators. It is unclear how long the court will take to decide.

Tech · 1 d ago

Australia's top court hears a challenge to its social media ban for under-16s

Two days of hearings began Tuesday in the High Court of Australia. Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project, an advocacy group led by New South Wales politician John Ruddick, are challenging the ban.

The evidence so far is that the effectiveness of the ban has been limited.

The government says the ban protects young people from graphic content and online predators. It is unclear how long the court will take to decide.

Australia's top court hears a challenge to its social media ban for under-16s

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