New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Monday that his party will introduce a bill in Parliament seeking to ban children under 16 from using social media, with platforms facing fines of up to 10% of their global revenue for non-compliance.
Reuters reported on Monday that the proposed legislation would require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to verify users’ ages, including through existing account information, facial-recognition technology and digital identity documents.
Luxon said the government could not accept the harm social media was causing children, citing exposure to harmful content, addictive technology and pressures affecting their family life, mental health, sleep and education.
The proposal faces opposition from one of Luxon’s coalition partners, New Zealand First. Party leader Winston Peters said his party would not support the bill, arguing that such legislation could put the country on a “slippery slope” toward greater government intervention.
Australia’s experience is likely to shape the debate. It became the first country to ban social media use by children under 16 in December 2025, covering platforms including TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.
Peters called Australia’s policy a “colossal failure” and said keeping children off social media should be the responsibility of parents. Luxon acknowledged that enforcement would not be perfect, but said the government should still try because of the potential risks to children.
