New Zealand proposes ban on social media for users under 16
The government plans to require major platforms to verify users are at least 16, with fines of up to 10% of global revenue for non-compliance, but faces opposition from coalition partners.
The New Zealand government will introduce the Online Safety Bill, which would obligate platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook to verify that users are at least 16 years old. Verification methods could include existing account data, facial age estimation and digital identity checks, and companies would need to regularly assess and report on risks to minors. Companies that fail to meet the requirements could be fined up to 10% of their worldwide revenue, a penalty higher than Australia’s maximum of $99 million.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said social media exposes children to harmful content and pressures they are not equipped to handle, adding that protections are needed in the virtual world as well.
"We have protections to keep children safe in the real world and we need them in the virtual world too," Luxon said.
The bill does not propose penalties for children, parents or caregivers. Opposition is expected from the Act and New Zealand First parties, which are part of the governing coalition. Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters warned that the legislation could set a “slippery slope” for the country and called Australia’s similar ban a “colossal failure.”
"We have been concerned with the proposed legislation and the direction and slippery slope that legislation like this will inevitably take our country," Peters said.
The proposal follows Australia’s recent ban and precedes similar measures planned in the United Kingdom and Greece.