Reddit has filed a lawsuit in Australia’s High Court, seeking to overturn the country’s new rule that bans people under 16 from using social media.
The company argues that the law is invalid because it restricts free political expression. The court filing was submitted by Reddit’s lawyers Perry Herzfeld and Jackson Wherrett.
The legal action names the Commonwealth of Australia and Communications Minister Anika Wells as defendants. A spokesperson for Wells said the government will continue to protect young Australians from online harm, but declined to give more details while the case is ongoing.
Australia introduced the world’s first legally enforced minimum age for social media access on December 10. The rule applies to Reddit and nine other platforms, including Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. All of these companies opposed the measure for more than a year before agreeing to comply.
Platforms must block underage users or face fines as high as 49.5 million Australian dollars. Young users and their parents will not be punished. Companies say they are using tools such as age inference, based on activity patterns, and age estimation from selfies to follow the rules.
Reddit said the new law raises serious concerns about privacy and political expression for all internet users, which is why it is asking the High Court to review it. In its 12-page filing, Reddit argues that preventing people under 16 from participating online limits their ability to engage in political discussions that could shape their views before they are old enough to vote.
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This lawsuit becomes the second major challenge to the new law. Last month, two teenagers, supported by a libertarian state lawmaker, filed a separate case that is scheduled for a hearing in February. According to a source familiar with the matter, Reddit does not plan to join any other ongoing challenges.
