Reddit Challenges Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban in Court
In December 2025, Reddit filed a legal challenge in Australia’s High Court against the country’s world-first law restricting social media accounts for children under 16. The ban is contained in the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which amends the Online Safety Act 2021 and places the compliance burden primarily on platforms rather than parents or minors.
The new regime requires covered services to take “reasonable steps” to prevent under-16s from holding accounts, including age-assurance measures, and it empowers regulators to demand compliance information. Enforcement commenced on 10 December 2025, with civil penalties that can reach A$49.5 million per breach for non-compliance.
The law applies to “age-restricted social media platforms” whose core purpose includes o
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