Bill would impose steep fines for noncompliance
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Monday that his party will introduce a bill in Parliament seeking to ban children under 16 from social media. The proposed legislation, as reported by The Japan Times and LBC, would impose fines of up to 10% of a social media platform's global revenue if it failed to comply.
Social media companies would be expected to take reasonable steps to verify users' ages, including using existing account information, facial technology and digital ID.
Luxon framed the measure as a protective necessity. "We simply cannot accept the harm being done to a generation of New Zealand children," he said in a statement. "Social media is exposing them to harmful content, addictive technology and pressures they are not equipped to deal with, and it's affecting their family life, mental health, sleep and education."
Coalition partner signals opposition
The bill's path through Parliament is uncertain. One of Luxon's coalition partners, New Zealand First, said it would not support the legislation. Party leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters posted on X: "We have been concerned with the proposed legislation and the direction and slippery slope that legislation like this will inevitably take our country."
Peters also criticised the approach taken by Australia, which in December became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, restricting access from platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. He called that legislation a "colossal failure," adding that keeping children off social media should be the responsibility of parents.
PM acknowledges implementation challenges
Luxon acknowledged that the measure would not be a perfect solution. At an event he said: "I won't pretend that it will be simple or that it will be perfect. We won't get every single child off social media. Some will always find ways around it, but frankly, it's just way too important not to at least try."