Reddit Challenges Australia's Under-16 Social Media Ban in High Court
Message board giant Reddit has initiated legal proceedings against Australia's groundbreaking social media ban targeting individuals under 16. The US-listed firm filed a lawsuit with the High Court on December 12, seeking to overturn the controversial legislation, arguing it constitutes an "invalid" infringement on the "implied freedom of political communication," a fundamental principle within Australian legal frameworks.
The Legal Battle Commences
The lawsuit explicitly names the Commonwealth of Australia and Communications Minister Anika Wells as defendants. While Minister Wells' office has not yet provided comment, the Australian government has previously indicated its preparedness to defend the law against any legal challenges.
World-First Age Restrictions
Just two days prior to Reddit's legal action, Australia implemented what is believed to be the world's first legally enforced age minimum for accessing social media. This significant policy shift followed over a year of intense lobbying against the measure by Reddit and nine other major platforms, including Meta's Instagram, Alphabet's YouTube, and TikTok. Despite their initial opposition, these platforms had ultimately committed to complying with the new regulations.
Enforcement and Penalties
Under the new law, social media platforms face substantial financial penalties, potentially reaching up to A$49.5 million (approximately S$42 million), if they fail to prevent underage users from accessing their services. It is noteworthy that neither underage users nor their caregivers are subject to any form of punishment. Platforms have reportedly begun implementing various age verification methods, such as age inference (analyzing online activity) and age estimation (using selfie-based verification), to adhere to the new rules.
Reddit's Core Arguments: Privacy and Expression
Reddit, however, maintains that the legislation introduces "serious privacy and political expression issues for everyone on the internet." In a public statement accompanying its court filing, the company affirmed its stance: "So, we are filing an application to have the law reviewed."
A Second High Court Challenge
This legal challenge from Reddit marks the second such case brought before the High Court concerning Australia's social media ban. Last month, two teenagers, with the backing of an Australian libertarian state lawmaker, launched their own challenge against the ban, with a hearing scheduled for February. Despite the parallel legal efforts, Reddit has clarified that it currently has no plans to align with other parties challenging the legislation.
