The American company Reddit, which operates the internet discussion forum of the same name, has challenged a new Australian law in court that bans children under the age of 16 from accessing social media. This was reported by news agencies today.
Reddit sues Australia
Reddit has filed a lawsuit with the Australian High Court. It claims that the law violates the Australian constitution because it restricts freedom of political communication. A similar lawsuit was filed last month by an organization called the Digital Freedom Project (DFP), according to the AP.
The office of Australian Communications Minister Anika Wells said the government stands “with Australian children and parents, not platforms” and is committed to protecting young Australians from the harmful effects of social media. According to Australian Health Minister Mark Butler, Reddit is using the lawsuit to protect its profits, not young people’s right to free expression, Reuters reports.
Australia introduces tough rules
The new law came into force this week. According to the law, the ten largest social media platforms must block access to children under the age of 16. If they fail to do so, they face a fine of 49.5 million Australian dollars. Of the ten companies, all except Elon Musk‘s X platform have said they will comply with the new rules, either by estimating age based on a user’s online activity or by determining age based on a selfie. They can also verify identity through uploaded documents or linked bank account information.
The new Australian law’s entry into force concludes a year of speculation about whether any country can actually prevent children from using social networks, which are now an integral part of everyday life. Although the ban currently applies to ten platforms, the Australian government says it may be extended in the future to other and new networks that young people choose as alternatives.
Source: Reuters
