New Zealand plans social media ban for under-16s

The New Zealand government has announced plans to ban social media access for children under the age of 16, requiring platforms to verify users' ages. This move aims to bring the country in line with other nations that have taken stricter measures to protect young users online. Education Minister Erica Stanford revealed that the proposed law would mandate social media companies to take reasonable steps to ensure that only users over 16 years old can access their platforms.

The legislation would impose legal obligations on the platforms themselves, without imposing penalties on children, their parents, or guardians. However, it remains uncertain whether the bill will garner enough support in parliament to pass into law. Australia made history in December by becoming the first country to implement a similar ban, blocking access to popular social media platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for users under 16.