Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Reddit, the social media and community chat forum, announced Thursday that it is challenging Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s in the country’s high court.
A Statement sent to X He said that New lawwhich bans Australians aged 15 and under from using apps such as Reddit, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Threads,
The move comes just days after the San Francisco-based company implemented age verification measures in Australia.
At first, Reddit appeared to comply with Australian law without resistance. TuesdayReddit said it will verify that new members and existing account holders in Australia are at least 16 years old. It also announced that account holders under the age of 18 around the world will get modified versions of the app that block access to NSFW and adult content, with stricter chat settings and no personalization or sensitive ads.
Don’t miss any of our unbiased technical content and lab reviews. Add CNET As Google’s preferred source.
A Reddit representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Reddit calls Australian law ‘arbitrary’
Earlier this week, Reddit said the legislation limits freedom of expression and privacy and is “arbitrary, legally wrong, and goes far beyond the original intent of the Australian Parliament, especially when other obvious platforms are excluded.”
“We strongly believe in an open internet and continued access to knowledge, information, resources and community building for all, including young people,” Tuesday’s statement said. “That’s why Reddit has always been, and continues to be, available for anyone to read even if they don’t have an account.”
Age verification rules – like UK online safety law – It has become the norm rather than the exception for governments and companies around the world. The Internet is increasingly filtered to prevent children from accessing certain online content. It’s a battleground where privacy, access to information, and online safety are huge factors.
Age prediction and verification
Reddit previously reported that it would use an age prediction model to determine whether new and existing account holders in Australia are at least 16 years old. If the model predicts that one of its members is under 16, Reddit will ask for proof of age. As the company explainedpeople must verify their date of birth by presenting a government-issued ID or taking a selfie. The company said it will suspend the accounts of people it determines are under 16 years old.
Reddit claimed that it would only securely store age information and not the photos or documents used in the verification process. The information will not be visible to advertisers or sold to data brokers, and will reportedly only be used to “enhance the relevance of content and ad experiences.”
Reddit said it plans to increase the platform’s safety for those under 18. If you are under 18, you are not permitted to moderate communities designated for NSFW or adult content. The site will disable ad personalization, and you will not see ads for alcohol, gambling, or other sensitive topics.