Legal challenge to Australia's under-16 social media ban reaches High Court

· Tech · Australia

Australia's world-leading ban on social media for under-16s faces its first major legal challenge on Tuesday, as Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project, an advocacy group led by New South Wales state MP John Ruddick, seek to overturn it in the High Court. The group will argue the policy robs under-16s of their right to free communication and is invalid on grounds of an implied freedom of political communication. The case is a key test of how far governments can restrict minors' access to online platforms.

Why it matters：A ruling against Australia's model could weaken similar bans spreading across Europe and Asia, or conversely give them legal cover.

Key points

  • Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project brought the challenge.
  • The group argues the ban robs under-16s of free communication.
  • The case turns on an implied freedom of political communication.

Sources (original reporting)

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