Reddit files legal challenge to Australia social media ban

SYDNEY — Online discussion site Reddit launched a legal challenge Friday to Australia's social media ban on under-16s, just days after the landmark laws came into effect. This week, the country became the first to ban under-age users from a raft of popular apps and websites — Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and X among them. Tech companies that fail to comply face Aus$49.5 million ($33 million) fines if they do not purge Australia-based users younger than 16. The court filings by U.S.-based Reddit, a discussion forum site made up of thousands of sprawling niche communities, challenge the general validity of the law, arguing that it should be exempt from the government's list of banned platforms because it is "not an age-restricted" app. It added that the law "infringes the implied freedom of political communication", and called for it to be reviewed by Australia's High Court. A Reddit spokesperson said the government had not been consistent in selecting which platforms should be banned, with some apps with large under-16 user groups exempt. Platforms currently exempt from the law includeWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times