Reddit has launched a legal battle against Australia’s world-leading ban on social media for users under the age of 16, filing a case in the high court just two days after the country implemented age restrictions on its platform.
The Guardian reports that Reddit, the massive online forum notorious for its extreme leftist bias, has taken a bold stance against Australia’s groundbreaking legislation that prohibits social media access for individuals under the age of 16. The company filed a challenge in the high court on Friday, arguing that the law infringes upon the implied freedom of political communication enshrined in the Australian constitution.
In a post, the company expressed its agreement with the need to protect minors but criticized the law for its potential to force “intrusive and potentially insecure verification processes on adults as well as minors, isolating teens from the ability to engage in age-appropriate community experiences.” Reddit also pointed out the “illogical patchwork” of platforms included in the ban, echoing the Australian Human Rights Commission’s sentiment that less restrictive alternatives could achieve the aim of protecting children and young people from online harms without significantly impacting other human rights.
Reddit’s primary argument is that it serves as a forum primarily for adults, lacking the traditional social media features that have drawn the government’s attention. The company emphasized that the vast majority of its users are adults and that advertising on the platform is not targeted at children under 18. In fact, the Apple app store age rating for Reddit is 17+. Nevertheless, Reddit is a premiere destination for degenerates in search of furry porn and other deviant interests pursued by troubled teenagers and young adults like alleged Charlie Kirk assassin Tyler Robinson.
Professor Sarah Joseph from Griffith University’s law school believes there is a strong case against the ban, stating, “I do believe the legislation has cut off the main source of political information for people under the age of 16, in terms of their receiving and giving information. Whilst that is not the intention of the legislation, that is one of its many effects.” However, she also acknowledged that most challenges to legislation on implied freedom of communications grounds tend to fail, as the high court often finds the laws to be proportionate.
Reddit’s challenge is separate from the one filed by the Digital Freedom Project group, led by New South Wales Libertarian MP John Ruddick. The next court appearance for the Digital Freedom Project group is scheduled for late February, while Reddit expects its case to be heard sometime next year if the high court decides to take it up.
The Guardian previously revealed that Reddit had argued to the eSafety commissioner in September that it should be excluded from the ban, stating that its platform is primarily focused on knowledge-sharing in timely, context-rich conversations and that interaction between end-users is merely an incidental step to enabling this primary purpose.
Despite Reddit’s objections, the company has implemented age-assurance measures since Wednesday to comply with the law. The 10 platforms covered by the ban — Twitch, Kick, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, Instagram, Snap, X, TikTok, and Reddit — have all taken steps to adhere to the new regulations.
Read more at the Guardian here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
