Politics · Australia · 4 hrs ago
Reddit and advocacy group challenge Australia’s under-16s social media ban
Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project are challenging Australia’s under-16s social media ban in the High Court.
The law requires 10 platforms to deactivate or suspend accounts they identify as belonging to children under 16.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said more than 5 million accounts have been suspended since the ban took effect.
The challengers argue that keeping teenagers off social media limits their ability to access political information and take part in political discussion.
The government says the ban aims to reduce risks to young people from platform features such as algorithms, endless scrolling and persistent notifications.
The court will consider whether the ban unlawfully burdens political communication, as well as whether the advocacy group has the right to bring its case.
Hearings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, but the sources do not say when the court will decide.
Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project are challenging Australia’s ban on social media accounts for people under 16 in the High Court.
The hearings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday, nearly 11 months after the policy took effect.
The challengers argue that the ban restricts young people’s political communication.
The government says the law aims to reduce risks to under-16s from harmful platform features.
The government is also arguing that the Digital Freedom Project lacks standing to bring the case.
- Who
- Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project are challenging the law. The group is led by New South Wales Libertarian MP John Ruddick.
- What
- They are seeking to overturn Australia’s ban on social media accounts for people under 16.
- When
- The High Court hearings are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday. The articles were published on 1 and 2 November 2026.
- Where
- Australia’s High Court.
- Why
- The challengers argue the ban burdens young people’s political communication. The government says it aims to reduce risks of harm to under-16s.
Reddit and Digital Freedom Project
Australian government
Political communication
Reddit and Digital Freedom Project
The ban prevents young people from posting, commenting on or engaging with political content on social media.
Australian government
The government says the law serves the legitimate purpose of reducing risks of harm to under-16s from social media platforms.
Legal standing
Reddit and Digital Freedom Project
The Digital Freedom Project says some of its members are aged 13 to 15 and are affected by the ban.
Australian government
The government argues the group has not shown that any of its own activities are impeded and lacks standing to bring the case.
Australia’s under-16s social media ban took effect, requiring 10 platforms to deactivate or suspend accounts they determined belonged to under-16s.
The two teenage plaintiffs, Noah Jones and Macey Nyland, were withdrawn from the case.
The High Court is scheduled to hear the challenge brought by Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project.
- Platforms covered
- 10
- Accounts suspended
- More than 5 million across the 10 services, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
- Age threshold
- Under 16
- Digital Freedom Project leader
- John Ruddick, New South Wales Libertarian MP
- Former teen plaintiffs
- Noah Jones and Macey Nyland
3 sources
What people are saying
common source of news and political information
harmful features