Reddit, rights group challenge Australia’s ban on social media accounts for under-16s

Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Social media companies have been forced to purge millions of accounts after Australia banned under-16s from the likes of Facebook, TikTok and Reddit last December. ― AFP pic

SYDNEY, Nov 3 — Australia’s landmark social media ban faces a legal test on Tuesday, as online platform Reddit urges the nation’s highest court to scrap the world-leading restrictions.

Social media companies have been forced to purge millions of accounts after Australia banned under-16s from the likes of Facebook, TikTok and Reddit last December.

The High Court of Australia will sit on Tuesday and Wednesday as Reddit, one of the most popular websites in the world, argues the laws are misguided and should be overturned.

Reddit has highlighted a number of issues in its written submission to the court, pointing to problems enforcing the ban and a lack of scientific evidence about the harms of social media.

“The evidence so far is that the effectiveness of the ban has been limited,” reads Reddit’s submission.

Australia’s ban works by restricting children under 16 from holding accounts on the world’s biggest social media platforms.

These platforms are responsible for weeding out underage users and face hefty fines if they are found to be falling short of their obligations.

Reddit argued this approach was actually more dangerous, as registered accounts were governed by in-built safety features.

Material posted on many online platforms and social media sites could still be accessed without an account, Reddit said.

“Young people using other platforms without an account are also unable to be protected from exposure to particular harmful content as they previously had been,” its submission read.

Australia said its restrictions would protect young users from graphic content, online predators and predatory algorithms designed to keep people scrolling.

While there is a growing body of evidence about the harms of social media, Reddit argued there was no “scientific consensus”.

Political discourse 

Reddit, which has also argued it should be exempt from the ban, said there was little research on whether certain platforms were safer than others.

The High Court will also consider arguments from Australia’s Digital Freedom Project, which believes the ban restricts teens’ ability to take part in political discourse.

“Social media is an important means of accessing news and engaging in political communication for young Australians, including children under 16,” the advocacy group argued in written submissions.

“The restriction also risks removing beneficial sources of connection, support and participation,” it added.

Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project separately announced last year they would challenge the ban.

It was not clear how long it would take the high court to consider the case, although even the quickest decisions typically take months.

Social media firms face mounting scrutiny over their use of allegedly addictive algorithms and stand accused of directing users to extreme content to keep them scrolling.

Several countries have indicated an interest in following Australia’s lead, including New Zealand, the UK, France and Turkey.

A team of Australia-based researchers published a study earlier this year that found little evidence to suggest teenagers have turned away from social media as a consequence of the restrictions. — AFP