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A social media ban has been implemented in Australia for children under the age of 16. Children will no longer be able to use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. This law is the first in the world that prevents children under the age of 16 from creating accounts on any major social media platform.

California-based social media platform Reddit has now filed a case against it in the High Court. Previously, a Sydney-based rights group, the Digital Freedom Project, had also challenged this law. Both argue that this law violates the freedom of political expression guaranteed by the Australian Constitution.

What did Reddit say?
Reddit issued a statement saying, "The safety of young people is important, but there are better ways to achieve this goal. This SMMA (Social Media Minimum Age) law violates the freedom of political expression guaranteed by the Australian Constitution. We support the safety of children under the age of 16." The age verification methods used are dangerous for the privacy of both children and adults. This process is highly intrusive and will rob teenagers of their ability to participate in online discussions and communities. It's also unclear which platforms this rule will apply to.

Companies face heavy fines.
The social media ban covers 10 platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, and Twitch. They must now ensure that accounts of Australian children under the age of 16 are immediately removed. Failure to do so could result in fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars.

The government also took a strict stance, sending notices
As soon as the law came into effect, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant sent notices to all 10 platforms, asking how many minor accounts had been removed so far. She had previously stated that some companies might wait until action is taken and then challenge the law in court. eSafety will send such notices every six months to check whether platforms are complying with the rules.

What will happen next?
Reddit has stated that it will continue to fight the legal battle, but will also comply with the rules. The company is demanding that the law be repealed or that Reddit be removed from the ban list. The High Court is expected to hear the case at the end of February.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Amar Ujala. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.