Australia’s social media ban has only modest effect on teens’ political communication, government tells court
News Source
•Wed, 04 Nov 2026 04:47:01 GMT
📰 What Happened
The federal government has told the High Court that its under-16 social media ban barely limits teenagers' political communication. Reddit is challenging the law, arguing it is an over-broad rush job. The court heard the case on Wednesday.
Government lawyer Stephen Lloyd said the ban targets addictive design features like endless scroll, likes and push notifications. He said it is not a blunt tool. More than 5 million accounts believed to belong to under-16s have been deactivated since December.
🔍 The Backstory
Australia passed the ban in late 2024 and started enforcing it in December 2025. It covers platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Twitch. Children cannot hold accounts, but they are not punished for trying.
Reddit argues the law breaks an implied freedom of political communication in the Constitution. It pointed to the eSafety commissioner calling an account ban a blunt tool in 2021. The government says rules written by the minister in 2026 were always part of the plan.
🎯 Why It Matters
The ruling will decide how far governments can go to keep kids off social media. It also shapes where teenagers are allowed to talk politics online.
The federal government has told the High Court that its under-16 social media ban barely limits teenagers' political communication. Reddit is challenging the law, arguing it is an over-broad rush job. The court heard the case on Wednesday.
Government lawyer Stephen Lloyd said the ban targets addictive design features like endless scroll, likes and push notifications. He said it is not a blunt tool. More than 5 million accounts believed to belong to under-16s have been deactivated since December.
Australia passed the ban in late 2024 and started enforcing it in December 2025. It covers platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Twitch. Children cannot hold accounts, but they are not punished for trying.
Reddit argues the law breaks an implied freedom of political communication in the Constitution. It pointed to the eSafety commissioner calling an account ban a blunt tool in 2021. The government says rules written by the minister in 2026 were always part of the plan.
The ruling will decide how far governments can go to keep kids off social media. It also shapes where teenagers are allowed to talk politics online.