Australia's High Court hears challenge to under-16 social media ban
· BehindLines newsroom
Australia's highest court heard challenges on 3 and 4 November to the ban on social media for under-16s, in force since December 2025. According to Al Jazeera, citing Reuters and AP, the hearing ended on Wednesday and a decision is expected "in the coming months".
Two challenges, filed by the US platform Reddit and by the group Digital Freedom Project, have been joined into a single case, according to Net Influencer, citing AP. The challengers argue the measure is disproportionate and infringes the implied freedom of political communication in the Constitution. Reddit says it should not be among the ten platforms covered and calls the law "ill-targeted".
For the government, social media exposes children to risks such as depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Its lawyers describe the burden on political expression as "indirect" and "modest". According to Net Influencer, the state and territory attorneys-general back the federal government. Both sources say the scheme covers platforms including Reddit, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, and that platforms face fines if they do not take reasonable steps; the amounts cited differ between the two sources, so we do not repeat them.
Official data point to nearly five million accounts closed or blocked since December, but the government admits many teenagers get around age checks. According to Net Influencer, a Monash University professor considers the government's position strong and says a defeat might only call for legislative fixes.
What remains unknown: the ruling and its exact timing, how the court will weigh protection of minors against freedom of expression, and the outcome of Reddit's own request.