US-based internet forum Reddit has filed a High Court challenge against Austraila's recent social media ban for users under 16, citing "serious privacy and political expression issues for everyone on the internet," a company spokesperson said.
In court filings lodged on Dec. 12, Reddit argues the ban infringes the country's implied freedom of political communication, restricting children from engaging in online political discourse—a factor that, the company contends, informs the views of parents, teachers, and future voters.
The ban, which came into effect Dec. 10, applies to 10 platforms including Reddit, Instagram, Facebook, X, Twitch, and YouTube. Platforms that fail to implement measures to keep underage users off their sites face fines of up to $49.5 million.