Court Challenges Australia's Teen Ban

Reddit’s legal team described the Australian law banning social media for users under 16 as inept and ill thought out. The online forum filed one of two challenges to the legislation in the High Court on Tuesday. This action came almost a year after the rule took effect in December 2025.

The Online Safety Act 2021 prevents Australians under 16 from holding accounts on specific platforms. These include Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Kick, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Twitch. Lawyer Perry Herzfeld argued the ban imposes a profound restriction on political debate. He told the seven judge panel that stopping young people from creating or responding to content limits their ability to communicate in the modern world.

Herzfeld stated that the law creates a substantial restriction on what young people can do. He also raised privacy concerns regarding how the ban is applied. Reddit contends it should not be grouped with other banned social media platforms due to these distinct issues. The company seeks a ruling that clarifies these legal boundaries.

A second challenge was filed by the Sydney based Digital Freedom Project. The group initially brought the case on behalf of two 15 year old teenagers last year. Both minors were removed from the proceedings due to concerns about potential legal costs. Noah Jones, one of the former plaintiffs who is now 16, spoke to reporters outside the court. He called the ban a stepping stone to censorship masked as child safety.

Jones argued the government is trying to gain more control over what young people see before they become voters. The Digital Freedom Project described the act as a blatant attack on the rights of young Australians. The group stated on its website that it cannot accept the legislation as written. The High Court will now review both challenges.

The Australian government recently doubled the maximum fine for non compliance to 99 million Australian dollars. This change also gave the eSafety Commissioner greater discovery powers. The government said it is preparing an enforcement lawsuit against some of the largest social media platforms. Communications minister Anika Wells attended the court proceedings.

Wells said she would respect the court's decision, noting that it cannot be appealed. She characterized the legal challenges as a sustained ideological attack. The eSafety Commissioner has found that most teenagers under the cutoff age continue to use social media despite the ban. The High Court is currently considering the arguments from both sides.