New Zealand Moves To Ban Social Media For Children Under 16

New Zealand's government is set to introduce an Online Safety Bill that would ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat. Platforms would be required to verify users' ages and could face fines of up to 10% of global revenue for failing to comply. The bill faces opposition from coalition partners, while concerns remain over whether the policy will effectively reduce social media use among teenagers.

New Zealand's government is preparing to introduce legislation that would restrict children under the age of 16 from using major social media platforms, following similar measures adopted by countries including neighbouring Australia.
The proposed Online Safety Bill is aimed at protecting young people from what the government describes as the growing harmful effects of social media.

PLATFORMS WOULD HAVE TO VERIFY USERS' AGES

Under the proposed legislation, social media companies such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook would be required to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from accessing their platforms.
Age verification could involve technologies such as facial age estimation and digital identification systems.
Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue, putting significant pressure on major technology companies to enforce the restrictions.

GOVERNMENT CITES RISKS TO CHILDREN

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government could no longer ignore the potential harm social media is causing young people.
He cited concerns over children's mental health, sleep and education, while government data indicates that about one in three New Zealanders aged 13 to 17 spends at least five hours a day on social media.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said the proposed law would place responsibility on social media companies rather than families.
Under the proposal, children, parents and caregivers would not face penalties for violations.

BILL FACES POLITICAL OPPOSITION

Despite the government's plans, the legislation faces an uncertain future.
Coalition partners NZ First and ACT have questioned whether banning social media for under-16s would actually be effective.
The government spent more than a year examining the possibility of introducing restrictions, but disagreements within the governing coalition could complicate efforts to pass the bill.

AUSTRALIA PROVIDES A RECENT EXAMPLE

New Zealand's proposal follows Australia's decision to restrict social media access for children under 16.
Australia's ban covers platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok and was introduced as part of efforts to protect children from bullying and potentially harmful recommendation algorithms.
However, the effectiveness of the Australian approach has already come under scrutiny.
A peer-reviewed study published by Australian researchers in June found limited evidence that the ban had significantly reduced teenagers' social media use.

DEBATE OVER CHILD SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS

Supporters of New Zealand's proposed restrictions argue that stronger regulation is necessary to protect children from online harms.
Critics, however, question whether age-verification technology can be implemented effectively without creating privacy concerns or simply pushing young users toward less regulated online platforms.
The proposed legislation is therefore likely to generate significant debate over the balance between child protection, privacy, parental responsibility and freedom of access to the internet.
If passed, the measure would make New Zealand one of a growing number of countries attempting to impose stronger legal limits on children's access to social media.