Reddit has filed a challenge against Australia’s under-16s social media ban in the high court, lodging its case two days after implementing age restrictions on its website.
The company said in a post on Friday that while Reddit agreed with protecting people under 16, “this law has the unfortunate effect of forcing intrusive and potentially insecure verification processes on adults as well as minors, isolating teens from the ability to engage in age-appropriate community experiences (including political discussions), and creating an illogical patchwork of which platforms are included and which aren’t”.
Reddit added: “As the Australian Human Rights Commission put it, ‘There are less restrictive alternatives available that could achieve the aim of protecting children and young people from online harms, but without having such a significant negative impact on other human rights.’
“Lastly, this law is applied to Reddit inaccurately, since we’re a forum primarily for adults and we don’t have the traditional social media features the government has taken issue with.”
READ MORE
Reddit is seeking to challenge the law on the grounds it infringes on the implied freedom of political communication. It said it was not seeking to challenge the law to avoid compliance, and has implemented age assurance measures since Wednesday.
[ Social media ban for children aged under 16 begins in AustraliaOpens in new window ]
The company said the vast majority of Redditors are adults, and advertising isn’t targeted to children under 18. The Apple app store age rating for Reddit is 17+.
“Despite the best intentions, this law is missing the mark on actually protecting young people online. So, while we will comply with this law, we have a responsibility to share our perspective and see that it is reviewed by the courts.”
The case sought is separate from the similar legal challenge on freedom of speech grounds filed by New South Wales Libertarian MP John Ruddick’s Digital Freedom Project group. – Guardian
[ A grand social media experiment begins in Australia. Will it work?Opens in new window ]
