MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – Reddit has filed a legal challenge in Australia’s High Court against the country’s new law that bans children under 16 from using major social media platforms. The California-based company’s lawsuit, lodged Friday, follows a similar case last month brought by Sydney-based rights group Digital Freedom Project. Both challenges argue that the law infringes on Australia’s implied freedom of political communication and is therefore unconstitutional.
In a statement, Reddit said the law raises serious privacy and free expression concerns for users of all ages. The company added that while protecting children is important, the Social Media Minimum Age law could force intrusive verification measures on adults, isolate teens from age-appropriate online communities, and create inconsistencies in which platforms are affected. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government declined to comment on the substance of the case, emphasizing that it is committed to protecting children from harm on social media and that the matter is before the courts.
The law, which came into effect on Wednesday, allows fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars ($32.9 million) for platforms that fail to remove accounts belonging to children under 16. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant has sent notices to ten major platforms, including Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, and Twitch, demanding data on compliance. eSafety plans to continue sending notices every six months to monitor enforcement.
Despite filing the challenge, Reddit stated it intends to comply with the law while continuing discussions with eSafety. Meanwhile, Australian children are reportedly turning to alternative apps, with downloads of Yope rising 251% and Lemon8 increasing 88% since the law took effect. eSafety has asked these smaller platforms to self-assess whether they qualify as age-restricted, warning that noncompliance could lead to fines.
The government has suggested several verification options, including submitting identification, using third-party age-estimation technology, or inferring age from account data, though it has ruled out requiring all users to verify ages due to privacy concerns. Reddit’s court filing asks the High Court to declare the law invalid or, alternatively, to prevent the government from including Reddit on the list of age-restricted platforms. A preliminary hearing in late February will set a date for the Digital Freedom Project case, which represents two 15-year-olds; it is unclear if the two challenges will be heard together.