New Zealand to introduce bill banning social media for children under 16

New Zealand's prime minister Christopher Luxon announced plans to introduce a bill that would prohibit children under 16 from using social media platforms. The legislation would mandate social media companies to verify users' ages using existing account information, facial recognition technology, and digital identity documents. In return, platforms could face fines equivalent to up to 10% of their global revenue for failing to comply.

Luxon emphasized the harmful impact social media has on the mental health, family life, sleep, and education of young New Zealanders. However, the New Zealand First party, one of Luxon's coalition partners, expressed concerns about the bill, stating it could lead to a slippery slope and should be the responsibility of parents to keep children off social media.

Australia had recently banned social media for children under 16, but New Zealand First leader Winston Peters suggested this approach had been unsuccessful and urged parents to handle the issue instead. Luxon acknowledged the bill might not fully succeed but argued that it was crucial to attempt preventing underage social media use.