Legal challenge to Australia's social media ban to start in High Court

What the report says

A legal challenge to Australia’s social media ban for children is due to begin in the High Court, with two days of hearings starting on Tuesday in what BBC World News describes as a major test of the policy. The case was brought by the Digital Freedom Project, a digital rights group led by New South Wales parliamentarian John Ruddick, and will be heard alongside a separate challenge from Reddit.

According to the BBC, the group argues the law denies under-16s the right to free communication. Reddit’s case is also said to raise concerns about privacy and political rights. The ban was introduced in December and requires ten platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit and X, to take “reasonable steps” to keep under-16s off their services. Platforms face fines of up to A$99m for serious or repeated breaches, although the BBC says no company has yet been fined.

Supporters of the law say it is intended to protect children from harmful online content, while critics argue it is too broad and that safety would be better addressed through stronger platform safeguards. The article notes that Australia’s eSafety Commissioner has opened investigations into possible non-compliance by several major platforms. It also says some young users were blocked at the start of enforcement, while others reportedly found ways around the age checks. The case could help determine how far governments can go in restricting minors’ access to major online platforms.