New Zealand plans social media ban for under-16s backed by big fines

New Zealand's Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Monday that his party intends to introduce legislation in parliament that would ban children under 16 from using social media. The bill proposes fines of up to 10 percent of a platform's global revenue for non-compliance. To verify users' ages, platforms would need to take reasonable steps, such as using existing account information, facial technology, and digital identity documents.

Luxon stated, "We simply cannot accept the harm being done to a generation of New Zealand children," as social media exposes them to harmful content, addictive technology, and pressures they are not equipped to handle, affecting family life, mental health, sleep, and education.

Luxon's coalition partner, New Zealand First, expressed concerns about the proposed legislation and its potential slippery slope. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who also serves as the country's foreign minister, said the legislation could lead to an "inevitable" direction that would harm the country. In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, blocking them from platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook.

Peters claimed the Australian legislation had been a "colossal failure" and argued that the responsibility of keeping children away from social media should lie with parents. Luxon acknowledged that it would not be easy to implement the ban, stating, "We won't get every single child off social media. Some will always find ways around it, but frankly, it's just too important not to at least try."