New Zealand Advances Plan to Ban Social Media for Under-16s
New Zealand is taking bold steps to protect its young people online. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Sunday that a proposal to ban children under 16 from accessing social media will be added to the government’s work program. The move aims to address growing concerns about the negative impacts of social media on teenagers.
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the development of the implementation plan. The proposal, put forward by National Party MP Catherine Wedd, highlights the lack of a legally binding age-verification mechanism for social media in New Zealand.
“My Social Media Age-Appropriate Users Bill is about protecting young people from bullying, inappropriate content, and social media addiction by restricting access for under 16-year-olds,” Wedd told Radio New Zealand.
Under the proposed law, social media platforms could face financial penalties if they fail to comply. They would be obligated to take “all reasonable steps” to ensure users are at least 16 years old. The plan is modeled after legislation currently being implemented in Australia.
“It’s not a political issue. It’s actually a New Zealand issue,” Luxon said, emphasizing the need for bipartisan support.
If passed, the law would allow the responsible minister to classify specific platforms as age-restricted and require a formal review three years after its implementation to evaluate its impact.
Australia has been working on similar legislation, aiming to protect young users from online harms.
