Reddit blasts Australia’s ‘inept’ social media ban as court challenge begins

Australia's world-first teen social media ban was "ill thought out" and amounted to a "profound restriction on political debate", a lawyer for messaging platform Reddit told the country's top court in the first legal challenge to the law.



Reddit and a libertarian advocacy group have taken to the High Court to contest the Australian law, which bans large social media platforms from letting under-16s have an account. It took effect in late 2025 amid support from parents and opposition from the tech firms.



A successful challenge could usher in more opposition from the affected companies and slow a global uptake of similar policies as lawmakers from Britain to Malaysia roll out the measures in an effort to protect youth mental and physical health.



The Australian government and its communications minister, a named defendant, have said they will defend the law.



Addressing the court, Perry Herzfeld, for Reddit, said barring under-16s from holding social media accounts stopped them from creating or responding to content on what he called the most important means of communication in the modern world.