iWorld
Reddit takes Australia to court over ban on young social-media users
SYDNEY: Australia faces a high-stakes legal battle over its groundbreaking ban on social media for children after Reddit filed a lawsuit in the country’s highest court.
The American platform filed suit on Friday, arguing the world-first law, which prohibits under-16s from accessing social media, unlawfully restricts free speech guaranteed by Australia’s constitution. Reddit’s 12-page application to the High Court named the federal government and communications minister Anika Wells as defendants.
The San Francisco-based company, which boasts a $44 billion valuation and considers Australia a key market, also contends it should be exempt from the law because it fails to qualify as social media under the legislation’s definition.
The challenge comes just two days after the ban took effect on December 10th. Platforms must now prevent under-16s from accessing their services or face fines of up to A$ 49.5 million ($33 million). Children and their parents will not face any penalties.
Reddit’s intervention marks the second court challenge to the ban, following an action filed last month by two teenagers affiliated with an Australian libertarian group. But the tech company’s deep pockets and legal resources, however, greatly intensify the pressure on the government and could prompt other tech companies to take similar action.
Ten major platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and TikTok, opposed the law for more than a year, but eventually agreed to comply. They say they will now use technology that estimates a user’s age through online behaviour or selfie analysis.
Health minister Mark Butler accused Reddit of protecting corporate profits rather than children’s rights to political expression. He compared the tech industry’s tactics to those employed by tobacco companies against smoking regulations.
Reddit countered that the ban carries “serious privacy and political expression issues for everyone on the internet”. The company’s filing emphasised that Australians under 16 would soon become voters. “The choices to be made by those citizens will be informed by political communication in which they engage prior to the age of 18,” it argued.
iWorld
Uber spotlights Rs 25 bike rides with music led IPL campaign
Uber uses 15 second music films with Divine and Roll Rida to push Rs 25 rides
MUMBAI: In a season where ads usually swing for sixes with celebrity spectacle, Uber has chosen to play a clever single sharp, fast, and straight to the point. Uber has rolled out a distinctly stripped-down IPL campaign, putting its product Uber Bike rides starting at Rs 25 for up to 3 km front and centre, rather than leaning on big-budget storytelling. The campaign features hip-hop artist Divine in Mumbai and Roll Rida in southern markets, using music as the primary vehicle for recall.
IPL advertising has long been dominated by high-production narratives packed with cricketers and film stars. Uber’s approach flips that playbook. Instead of elaborate storytelling, the brand opts for 15-second music-led films quick, rhythmic bursts designed to mirror the pace of urban mobility itself.
The message is deliberately simple, affordable, fast rides that cut through city traffic. No layered plots, no extended build-up just a functional promise delivered with cultural flair.
In the Mumbai-led film, Divine zips through traffic on an Uber Bike, turning the Rs 25 price point into a hook with his signature wordplay around “pachisi”. The campaign cleverly reframes affordability as a moment of delight, the kind that leaves commuters with a “32-teeth smile” after beating traffic at minimal cost.
Meanwhile, Roll Rida’s version leans into southern sensibilities, blending Telugu and Tamil influences with high-energy visuals. Set to the beat of tape drums, the film celebrates how low-cost rides can unlock a more connected and vibrant city experience. Together, the films reflect a conscious push towards regional authenticity, rather than a one-size-fits-all national narrative.
The campaign also signals Uber’s sharper focus on India’s growing bike taxi segment. While the company offers multi-modal services spanning cars, autos, metro integrations and intercity travel, this push zeroes in on two-wheelers as a key growth lever in dense urban markets.
By anchoring the campaign around a Rs 25 entry price for short distances, Uber is targeting everyday commuters, particularly younger users navigating congested cities where speed and cost matter more than comfort.
With IPL advertising clutter at its peak, even the most straightforward message risks getting lost. Uber’s answer is to embed the proposition within culture using music, regional nuance and repeat-friendly short formats to drive recall. The creative team has also layered subtle visual cues including multiple references to “25” within frames encouraging repeat viewing and reinforcing the core message without over-explaining it.
The campaign reflects a broader shift in advertising priorities. As attention spans shrink and media environments get noisier, brands are increasingly favouring clarity over complexity and speed over scale.
Uber’s IPL play may not shout the loudest, but it lands where it matters in the everyday commute. Because sometimes, in a marketplace full of grand narratives, a Rs 25 ride is story enough.
