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

New Zealand plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit children under 16 from using social media platforms. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the bill in Parliament, aiming to impose fines of up to 10% of the offending platform's global revenue for non-compliance. The proposed law would mandate social media companies to verify users' ages through existing account information, facial recognition technology, and digital identity documents.

Luxon expressed concern over the negative impact social media has on young New Zealanders, citing exposure to harmful content, addictive technology, and pressures they are ill-equipped to handle. These issues are affecting children's family life, mental health, sleep patterns, and academic performance. However, the bill's passage appears uncertain, as one of Luxon's coalition partners, New Zealand First, opposes it.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters criticized the legislation, arguing that it represents a slippery slope with unknown consequences for the nation. In December, Australia became the first country to ban social media for children under 16, but Peters described the measure as a failure. Luxon acknowledged that enforcing the ban would not be easy or perfect, but emphasized that it was crucial to attempt it given the seriousness of the issue.