Reddit is firing back with its own legal challenge. On top of this, they loudly oppose new Australian legislation making it illegal for users under 16 to set up or maintain accounts on certain social media platforms. The world-first legislation asks Reddit and nine other platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to do more than just take “reasonable steps.” Their ambition is to stop young Australians from using them in the first place. Not doing so properly, they say, could lead to up to $49.5 million in fines.
On Friday morning, Reddit filed that lawsuit in the High Court. They claim that for the government to apply the law to their platform would be “arbitrary” and “legally erroneous.” Despite the company’s claims to the contrary, its platform is not “not an age-restricted app” and should be held to these requirements. Reddit is upfront about not being a platform geared towards children or teens. It doesn’t have most of the other classic social media features that the government has been shooting for.
The new law aims to make the online world a safer place for kids. As Reddit points out, it creates “an illogical patchwork” in which platforms are covered and which ones are exempt. This unexpected inconsistency has created an environment of distrust among operators within the company over equity and confusion over regulatory vagueness.
Reddit’s legal challenge makes clear its defiant posture among other big platforms. These platforms, including Kick, Snapchat, Threads, Twitch, X and YouTube, have been affected by this legislation as well. The platform specifically argues that some “self-evident platforms” have been excluded from the ban. It questions the legal basis for these regulations.
In its court filing, Reddit stated that the law infringes upon “the implied freedom of political communication,” suggesting that these restrictions could potentially limit the exchange of ideas and discussions on its platform. The tech company’s argument is that it does prioritize user safety but has been unfairly targeted in the government’s enforcement actions.
“a forum primarily for adults and we don’t have the traditional social media features the government has taken issue with” – Reddit
Reddit is looking to advance good legislation that protects minors. They argue that all platforms at play should be judged by the same standard. As this case unfolds, whatever the legal outcome, this case could serve as an important precedent for enforcing social media regulations in Australia. This decision should signal and spur similar developments across the globe.
