Australia’s under-16 social media ban faces High Court challenge

Australia’s ban on social media accounts for children under 16 is facing a major test in the country’s High Court, where Reddit and a digital rights group argue that the restrictions infringe young people’s rights. Two days of hearings began Tuesday.

The ban took effect on December 10, 2025. It requires covered platforms to take “reasonable steps” to keep under-16s from holding accounts, with companies facing fines of up to A$99 million (US$70 million) for serious or repeated breaches. No company has been fined since the policy began, the BBC reported.

The Digital Freedom Project, led by New South Wales parliamentarian John Ruddick, filed its constitutional challenge before the ban took effect. It argues that the restrictions limit young people’s ability to communicate and participate in political debate.

“Social media is an important means of accessing news and engaging in political communication for young Australians, including children under 16,” the group said in written submissions cited by Al Jazeera. “The restriction also risks removing beneficial sources of connection, support and participation.”

Reddit, whose separate challenge is being heard alongside the group’s case, has raised concerns about privacy, political rights and whether the ban works. “The evidence so far is that the effectiveness of the ban has been limited,” the company said in a submission cited by Al Jazeera. It also argued that there was no “scientific consensus” on the harms of social media.

Reddit said requiring platforms to remove underage accounts could leave young people less protected because registered accounts have built-in safety features, while material on many sites remains available without an account. “Young people using other platforms without an account are also unable to be protected from exposure to particular harmful content as they previously had been,” its submission said.

The company has said it shares Australia’s goal of protecting young people online “but there are better and more effective ways” than a ban. “As we challenge this law in court, we’ll continue to comply with it and advocate for more effective youth safety measures,” Reddit communications chief Adam Collins said, according to the BBC.

The government says the restrictions are intended to protect children from harmful content and online predators. Communications Minister Anika Wells said last November that it would not be “intimidated by legal threats.” She added: “We will not be intimidated by big tech. On behalf of Australian parents, we will stand firm.”

The BBC identified the 10 covered platforms as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, X, Kick, Threads and Twitch. WhatsApp, gaming services including Roblox and Discord, and educational services including YouTube Kids and Google Classroom are not covered. The BBC reported that the eSafety Commissioner has opened investigations into alleged non-compliance by Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

Meta said it closed about half a million accounts in the ban’s first few days, the BBC reported. Some children said they lost access, while others said they could get around age checks. Al Jazeera reported that an August study by Australia-based researchers found little evidence teenagers had stopped using social media despite the ban. It remains unclear how long the court will take to decide the case.