Auckland (The NZ Today)
New Zealand is a step closer to introducing a social media ban for children under 16, with the Government expected to consider a final Cabinet paper in the coming weeks as it moves towards introducing legislation aimed at protecting young people from harmful online content.
The proposal, championed by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Education Minister Erica Stanford, comes as countries around the world intensify efforts to tackle the impact of social media on children. The United Kingdom this week announced plans to follow Australia’s lead by introducing similar restrictions from early next year, adding to what Stanford described as a growing international movement.
“This is becoming a tsunami of countries wanting to protect young people from big tech,” Stanford said, adding that New Zealand could not afford to delay action while young people continued to be exposed to harmful material online.
The minister warned that many children, particularly young girls, are being targeted with damaging content related to body image and self-harm. She said waiting for more overseas evidence was no longer an option and stressed the need to act sooner rather than later.
Stanford acknowledged that banning under-16s from social media would not be a “silver bullet” and said it would take time for social attitudes to change. However, she said many parents were desperate for practical measures to help protect their children.
The issue first emerged as a major policy priority last year, when National MP Catherine Wedd introduced a member’s bill requiring social media companies to verify users’ ages and prevent under-16s from accessing their platforms. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon later tasked Stanford with leading the Government’s work on the issue.
While both Luxon and Stanford have strongly backed the proposal, coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First have yet to fully support the plan. ACT leader David Seymour has questioned how workable the ban would be, while NZ First leader Winston Peters has raised concerns about the possibility of a wider digital identification system being required to verify users’ ages.
Stanford declined to say whether she had managed to secure the support of both parties, saying further Cabinet discussions were still to take place. Sources indicate there has been little change in the positions of ACT and NZ First.
Labour has signalled it is willing to work with the Government on the issue. However, Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the party had not yet been consulted on the details of the proposed legislation.
The United Kingdom is also considering introducing overnight social media curfews for under-18s to curb excessive scrolling. Stanford said such measures were not part of New Zealand’s current plans but could be examined in a future phase of work.
If passed, New Zealand would join Australia and other countries moving to tighten online protections for children amid increasing concerns about cyberbullying, harmful content, mental health and social media addiction.
