Australian government defends social media ban for under 16s in court
Summary
Australia’s government defended its ban on social media use by children under 16 during a court challenge brought by Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project. The country’s highest court adjourned after two days of hearings and is expected to rule in the coming months.Key Facts
- Government lawyers said social media can expose children to risks including depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
- Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project argue the ban is disproportionate and violates an implied constitutional freedom of political communication.
- The law covers platforms including Reddit, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
- Platforms can face fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars if they do not take reasonable steps to remove accounts belonging to children under 16.
- Reddit argued it should not be among the 10 platforms covered by the ban and called the measure overly broad.
- Government data published in July said five million social media accounts had been closed since the ban took effect in December.
- The government has acknowledged that some under-16s still access social media by bypassing age checks and is considering stronger enforcement.
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