Australia's social media ban challenged in high court

Australia's social media ban challenged in high court23 publishers · first seen Sun, 01 Nov 2026 14:00 UTC · updated Wed, 04 Nov 2026 16:13 UTCAustralia's High Court is hearing challenges to a ban on children under 16 holding social media accounts, which took effect last year. The ban covers platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, X, YouTube, Twitch, Kick, and Threads. The government argues the ban is necessary to protect children from the harmful effects of social media, such as addiction, sleep issues, depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Opponents, including Reddit and the Digital Freedom Project, argue the ban restricts the right to political communication and is an overbroad measure. The court is considering whether the ban's impact on political engagement outweighs the potential harm from social media. The verdict is expected to take months.Content auto-generated. May contain inaccuracies.

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