Reddit Calls Australia’s Under-16 Social Media Ban "Legally Erroneous" — Will Comply Ahead Of Dec. 10

Reddit on Tuesday criticised Australia’s impending ban on social media accounts for people under 16 as "legally erroneous," while confirming it will make changes to comply when the law takes effect on December 10.

What Reddit Said

In a statement, the US-based company said it disagreed with the law’s scope, effectiveness and privacy implications but would implement measures to meet the new requirements. Reddit emphasised that the law’s application to its platform — a largely pseudonymous, text-based forum used predominantly by adults — was arbitrary and went "far beyond the original intent of the Australian Parliament," especially given apparent exemptions for other services.

"By limiting account eligibility and putting identity tests on internet usage, this law undermines everyone's right to both free expression and privacy, as well as account-specific protections," Reddit said.

How Reddit Will Respond

To comply, Reddit said it will deploy an age-prediction model to help identify accounts likely belonging to users under 16. Accounts judged to be under 16 will be suspended, and the company plans to roll out enhanced safety features for users under 18 worldwide.

Reddit declined to confirm media reports that it was preparing a last-ditch legal challenge, but reiterated its concerns about the law’s legal basis and selective application.

Penalties And Scope

The world-first Australian legislation targets major platforms and websites — including TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit — and carries fines of up to Aus$49.5 million (about US$32 million) for failing to take "reasonable steps" to comply.

Who Is Affected And What’s Exempt

Hundreds of thousands of Australian adolescents are likely to be impacted. Instagram reports roughly 350,000 Australian users aged 13 to 15. Some popular services — such as Roblox, Pinterest and WhatsApp — are currently exempt, though the exemption list remains under review.

Enforcement Challenges

Authorities expect determined teens to try to circumvent the rules, for example by submitting fake IDs or using AI to make photos appear older. Platforms are responsible for designing countermeasures, but Australia’s internet safety watchdog warns that "no solution is likely to be 100 percent effective."

Global Interest

Regulators worldwide are watching closely as governments weigh how to manage the risks of social media for children. Malaysia has signalled plans to bar children under 16 from signing up next year, and New Zealand has said it is considering a similar approach.

Bottom line: Reddit will comply with Australia’s new under-16 account restrictions while publicly challenging their legal and practical basis, and the rollout will test whether platforms can effectively and fairly enforce age limits without infringing privacy or free-expression rights.