Shafaq News – Washington / Canberra

Reddit has filed a lawsuit against Australia challenging a new law that bans children under 16 from using social media, arguing that the measure breaches constitutional protections.

Court filings cited by Reuters showed that the US-based social media platform said the legislation unlawfully restricts freedom of political communication and wrongly categorizes Reddit as a covered social media service. The ban, it warned, could shut teenagers out of online political debate, and force platforms to adopt “intrusive” age-verification systems.

Australia passed the law last year as part of what it described as a world-first effort to protect children from online harm. The legislation places responsibility on technology companies to prevent underage access, exposing them to fines if they fail to take “reasonable steps” to comply.

The ban came into force this week following months of political debate.

The case was lodged with Australia’s High Court, adding to a separate legal challenge backed by teenagers and civil liberties advocates who argue the ban violates the constitution’s implied freedom of political communication.

In an earlier statement, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the measure, urging social media platforms to comply as part of efforts to “protect children.”