Teenagers Sue Australian Government Over Social Media Ban

Two teenagers have taken the Australian government to court to challenge the country’s new law banning under-16s from accessing social media platforms, arguing it violates their constitutional rights.

The restriction, which takes effect on 10 December, requires platforms including Meta, TikTok and YouTube to prevent anyone under the age of 16 from owning an account.

The government says the measure is necessary to shield children from harmful online content and addictive algorithms.

But 15-year-olds Noah Jones and Macy Neyland, supported by the Digital Freedom Project (DFP), insist the ban tramples on young people’s right to communicate and participate in public debate.

“We shouldn’t be silenced. It feels like something out of Orwell’s 1984, and that scares me,” Neyland said.

Communications Minister Anika Wells, responding after the lawsuit became public, said the government would press ahead regardless of opposition.

“We will not be intimidated by threats or legal challenges. On behalf of Australian parents, we will stand firm,” she told parliament.

The DFP, led by New South Wales lawmaker John Ruddick, argues the case will focus on the ban’s impact on political communication and whether the restriction is proportionate.

The group warns that young people who rely on social media for education and connection, including those with disabilities, First Nations youth, rural communities and LGBTIQ+ teenagers, could be most affected.

DFP is instead calling for improved digital safety education, stricter platform safeguards and privacy-protective age-assurance technology.

Jones criticised the policy as “lazy”, insisting young people need access to tools that help them navigate the digital world rather than being locked out entirely.

Australian media reports suggest Google, owner of YouTube, has been considering a separate constitutional challenge.