Reddit Claims It's More Than Just Social Media: A Legal Battle in Australia

Australia recently implemented a new regulation preventing individuals under the age of 16 from establishing or retaining social media profiles. This has compelled platforms to terminate accounts belonging to numerous young users. Reddit, however, is contesting this classification, arguing that it is not a typical social media site.

Reddit has taken its disagreement into the courtroom, filing a legal challenge against Australia's regulations, specifically targeting the country's Minister of Communications. The law is designed to shield minors from the alleged negative and addictive impacts of social media.

Reddit contends that the law violates the implied right to political communication, as it mislabels the platform as an 'age-restricted social media site.' Instead, Reddit describes itself as an extensive array of forums dedicated to various subjects.

Emphasizing that user interaction is not a primary feature of Reddit, the company argues that in most instances, users are unaware of each other's true identities.

Contrary to most social networking websites, Reddit maintains that it does not access users' contact lists. The platform's upvote and downvote mechanisms function purely to rate the usefulness of posted content, not to comment on the user behind the post. This, Reddit argues, sets it apart from platforms that promote personal connections like 'friending' or sharing personal photographs.

Reddit, established in 2005, permits users to post and respond in themed 'subreddits.' Although real names can be used, the vast majority opt for anonymity. In 2024, the company went public with a valuation of $6.4 billion.

Reddit's User Statement and Broader Implications

Reddit communicated its stance in a message to its users, stating that the law's application to Reddit is flawed since it primarily serves adults and lacks controversial social media attributes.

The recent Australian law, requiring platforms to verify users' ages, has faced opposition not only from Reddit but also from other impacted firms like ByteDance and Meta, Facebook and Instagram's parent company.

Reddit argues that abiding by the law could lead to undesirable outcomes. Implementing invasive verification methods could undermine security for both minors and adults, cut off teens from relevant community dialogues, and create inconsistent regulations across platforms.

The trend is not isolated to Australia. Malaysia is considering a similar prohibition, and legislative initiatives have been tabled in Norway and Denmark to restrict social media access for younger teens.

Global Movement Towards Social Media Regulation

In the United States, several senators have proposed the Kids Off Social Media Act. This legislation aims to block platforms from accommodating users under 13 and prevent platforms from algorithmically targeting youth under 17.

Senator Brian Schatz from Hawaii has called for America to follow Australia's lead in safeguarding minors against the constant exposure to potentially harmful online content.