New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Sunday that the government will add a proposal to ban access to social media for children under 16 to its work program. The move aims to shield young people from online bullying, inappropriate content and the growing risks of social media addiction.
The plan, driven by National Party MP Catherine Wedd, responds to concerns from schools, teachers and parents over the lack of any legally binding age-verification system. "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, platforms would face financial penalties for non-compliance and would be required to take "all reasonable steps" to verify that users are at least 16 years old. Platforms could also be formally classified as age-restricted, with a mandated three-year review to assess the policy's impact.
The draft legislation is modeled on Australia's ground-breaking social media age ban, which passed the senate in November 2024 as the first law of its kind. New Zealand officials say they are seeking bipartisan support, with Luxon emphasizing: "It's not a political issue. It's actually a New Zealand issue."
Education Minister Erica Stanford will lead the development of the implementation plan, working closely with tech platforms, schools and youth organizations to shape the details before the bill is tabled in parliament.
As global debate intensifies over how to safeguard young minds online, New Zealand's proposal could set a new benchmark in digital wellbeing for the next generation of global citizens.
Reference(s):
New Zealand advances proposal to ban social media access for under-16s
cgtn.com
