New Zealand’s government has introduced legislation seeking to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media, with technology companies facing fines of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue for failing to comply.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill is aimed at protecting young people from harmful online content, addictive technology and pressures that could affect their mental health, sleep, education and family life.
Under the proposed law, high-risk social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook would be required to take reasonable steps to verify that users are at least 16 years old. Proposed age-verification methods include existing account information, facial age estimation, digital identity services and formal identification.
The legislation would also require platforms to assess risks to children and report on measures taken to reduce those risks. An online safety regulator would be established to monitor compliance, investigate platforms and enforce the law.
The proposal, however, faces political uncertainty. New Zealand First, a coalition partner, has opposed the measure, while ACT has also expressed opposition, leaving the bill’s passage uncertain.
New Zealand’s move follows Australia, which became the first country to impose a nationwide social media age restriction for children under 16.
