SYDNEY: An internet rights group launched a legal challenge on Wednesday to halt world-first Australian laws that will soon ban under-16s from social media.

From December 10, Australia will force the likes of Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to remove all users under the age of 16 or face hefty fines.

The Digital Freedom Project said it had challenged these laws in Australia’s High Court, arguing they were an “unfair” assault on freedom of speech.

“This ban is a direct assault on young people’s right to freedom of political communication,” the Digital Freedom Project said in a statement.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2025