# Australia's High Court Challenges Social Media Ban for Kids

> Australia's highest court begins hearing legal challenges to laws banning under-16s from social media platforms.
- Title: Australia's High Court Challenges Social Media Ban for Kids
- Summary: Australia's highest court begins hearing legal challenges to laws banning under-16s from social media platforms. Australia's high court is hearing…
- Keywords: australia, high court, social media ban, children, constitutional challenges, digital freedom project, reddit, australian government, under-16s, facebook, instagram, snapchat
- Source: Seattletimes — https://seattletimes.com/business/australias-highest-court-hears-challenges-to-social-media-ban-for-children
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: australia, high court, social media ban, children, constitutional challenges, digital freedom project, reddit, australian government, under-16s, facebook, instagram, snapchat
## High Court Begins Hearing
Australia's highest court started hearing constitutional challenges to the nation's world-first law banning children under 16 from social media platforms.
## Two Legal Challenges
Digital Freedom Project claims the law violates constitutional rights to political communication, while Reddit argues privacy and political expression concerns were ignored.
## Plaintiffs Removed
Two 15-year-olds were removed as plaintiffs due to potential legal liability if the case failed, though they remain concerned about social media risks.
## Youth Perspectives
Noah Jones, now 16, called the ban a step toward censorship, while his mother warned it leaves young people ignorant about online dangers.
## Government Response
The government plans to strengthen the ban after evidence showed 85% of 12- to 17-year-olds continued using restricted platforms.
## Fines and Enforcement
Platforms face fines up to 49.5 million Australian dollars if they fail to remove underage accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.
## Key takeaway

Australia's high court is hearing constitutional challenges to a law banning children under 16 from social media platforms.