New Zealand Towards Under-16 Social Media Ban

New Zealand prepares to follow in Australia's footsteps with a bill which would ban the use of social media by children under 16. The Prime Minister Christopher Luxon supported the bill, arguing that the social media ban is a necessary measure to protect children from online dangers and calling for greater accountability from tech companies.

The proposal requires social media platforms to verify the age of users, allowing access only to those aged 16 and over. Companies that fail to comply with these rules risk fines of up to NZ$2 million (about €900.000).

The Australian model

The New Zealand proposal is inspired by the Australian model, where a similar law was approved in November 2024. Australia has passed one of the world’s toughest laws on the subject, banning anyone under the age of 16 from opening or maintaining social media accounts.

Australian law forces tech giants to Meta (owner of Instagram and Facebook), TikTok and other platforms to block minors from accessing their services, under penalty of fines of up to AUD$49,5 million (about US$33 million). The law will come into force in December 2025, after a one-year implementation period.

Social Media Ban for Under 16s: Reasons and Public Debate

The motivations behind these initiatives are linked to the growing concern about the negative effects of social media on the mental health of young people. As New Zealand Prime Minister Luxon stated:

“It’s time for New Zealand to recognise that, despite all the good things that come from social media, it is not always a safe place for our young people.”

Experts say social media exposes children and adolescents to potential risks, including cyberbullying, harmful content, and online predators. Restricting their access to it would help safeguard their psychological and emotional well-being.

On the other hand, critics point out that social media also offers benefits such as inclusion, social connection and a sense of belonging, elements that protect mental health. There are also concerns that restrictive measures could push young people towards less regulated areas of the web.

Political reactions

In New Zealand, the bill still needs to be selected by a ballot to be formally introduced into parliament and will require the support of members of National's coalition parties and opposition parties to become law.

The ACT party has already said it will not support the bill: its leader David Seymour calls a social media ban a hasty decision, suggesting instead that we wait to see the effects of the Australian ban. Opposition Labor leader, on the other hand, Chris Hipkins he said he was open to the idea.

Finally, the leader of NZ First, Winston Peters, expressed support for the bill, but suggested that there should be an investigation by a select committee to formulate an effective law.

The tech industry's reaction

Tech companies have (who would have thought?) expressed strong concerns about these measures. In Australia, platforms like Goal, Snapchat e X (ex Twitter) criticized the speed with which the law was passed and the lack of clarity on how to concretely implement it.

A spokesperson for Snap Inc. (Snapchat) said there were still “many unanswered questions” about how the law would be implemented, suggesting adopting a device-level age verification system “to streamline the process.”

The industry’s main concerns are the technical feasibility of age verification, the potential risks to the privacy of all users, and the fear that overly restrictive measures could unduly limit freedom of expression.

Social Media Ban, Technical and Practical Challenges

The question of how to effectively verify the age of users remains a major challenge. Age verification technologies are still in their infancy and relying on companies with a history of privacy abuses Using these untested technologies carries significant risks.

Experts compare these regulatory attempts to restrictions on alcohol. and tobacco:

“Kids might try to get around restrictions, just like they do with alcohol, tobacco or drugs, but no one is saying that because they try, we should give them unlimited access.”

Social Media Ban: Conclusions and Future Prospects

The debate over banning social media for minors reflects a growing global awareness of the risks of digital platforms for young people. While some countries, such as France and some US states have introduced restrictions requiring parental consent, the Australian approach and the one proposed by New Zealand represent a more drastic response.

This type of legislation represents “an ambitious social experiment of our time” that seeks to swim against the tide of many of the trends in modern life: formidable forces such as technology, marketing, globalization and, of course, the iron wills of teenagers.

It remains to be seen whether these measures will effectively balance protecting young people with respecting their digital rights, and whether other nations will follow the example of Australia and New Zealand in establishing stricter limits on children’s use of social media.

Sources

• NPR, “How will Australia's under-16 social media ban work?“, December 2024
• Reuters,”Australia passes social media ban for children under 16“, November 2024
• Amnesty International Australia,”Social media ban: what is it and what will it mean for young people?“, November 2024
• Australian eSafety Commissioner, “Social media age restrictions“, 2025
• PBS News, “Could Australia's ban on social media for people under 16 work in other countries?“, December 2024
• CNN,”Tech companies put on notice as Australia passes world-first social media ban for under-16s“, November 2024
• Australian Human Rights Commission,”Proposed Social Media Ban for Under-16s in Australia"
• NPR, “How will Australia's under-16 social media ban work? We asked the law's enforcer“, December 2024