Major test for Australia's social media ban begins in High Court

Australia's rush to put in place a landmark social media ban for children led to "ill thought out" reforms which have robbed them of their right to free communication, the country's top court has been told.

In a major test for the world-leading policy, online forum Reddit and a digital rights group argued at a hearing on Tuesday that the law should be struck down as it is unconstitutional.

Introduced last December, the ban is among a number of online safety reforms the Australian government has spearheaded in recent years.

Supporters say it protects children from harmful content, but critics say it is too blunt an instrument and efforts should focus on improving online safety.