# Australian government admits no scientific consensus on social media harms to teenagers, but says ‘credible risks’ justify ban

https://mins.news/en/item/78892

- The Guardian, 2026-09-29 15:00 UTC
- Society
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/sep/30/social-media-ban-australia-high-court-mental-health-risks-teens

> The Australian government has acknowledged that its under-16 social media ban was introduced without scientific consensus linking social media use to mental-health harms. Defending the policy before the High Court, it said credible risks including addictive behaviour, disrupted sleep, anxiety, depression and suicidal behaviour justified precautionary action. Reddit argues there is no established causal link, while the government says proposed digital duty-of-care laws would have essentially the same effect as the ban.