Australian government defends social media ban for under 16s in court

Government lawyers argued that social media use posed several risks to children, including depression and anxiety.Published On 4 Nov 20264 Nov 2026The Australian government has defended its ban on social media use by children under the age of 16 in court, as it faces a legal challenge that could have global implications.Government lawyers argued on Wednesday that social media use posed several risks to children, including depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation. They described the ban as “modest in extent” and argued that restrictions on freedom of political expression were “indirect”.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3EU watchdog urges smart glasses to clearly signal when recordinglist 2 of 3Why social media has become an election issue in Brazil’s presidential racelist 3 of 3Meta faces Australian lawsuit over alleged social media harm to childrenend of listThe case has been brought by US social media platform Reddit and Sydney-based rights group Digital Freedom Project. They argue that the measure is disproportionate and infringes the implied freedom of political communication under the Australian Constitution.The country’s highest court adjourned on Wednesday after ...