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Agence France-Presse

New Zealand’s prime minister on Tuesday proposed banning children under 16 from social media, stressing the need to shield them from the perils of big tech platforms.
Regulators the world over are wrestling with how to keep children safe online, as social media is increasingly flooded with violent and disturbing content.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon unveiled draft laws that would force social media companies to verify users were at least 16 years old, or face fines of up to NZ$2 million (US$1.2 million).
The proposed ban was modelled on laws recently passed by Australia, which sits at the forefront of global efforts to regulate social media.
Parents are constantly telling us that they are really worried
New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
“It’s time that New Zealand acknowledged that, for all the good things that come from social media, it’s not always a safe place for our young people to be,” Luxon told reporters.
“It’s time we put the onus on these platforms to protect vulnerable children from harmful content, cyberbullying, and exploitation.”
It was not clear when the legislation would be introduced to parliament, but Luxon said he was hopeful of garnering support across the chamber.
The laws were drafted by Luxon’s centre-right National Party, the biggest member in New Zealand’s three-way governing coalition.
To be passed they would need the support of Luxon’s two other coalition partners.


“Parents are constantly telling us that they are really worried about the impact that social media is having on their children,” Luxon said.
“And they say they are really struggling to manage access to social media.”
National Party lawmaker Catherine Wedd, who drafted the bill, said it would hold social media companies to account.
“As a mother of four children I feel very strongly that families and parents should be better supported when it comes to overseeing their children’s online exposure,” she said.
The proposed laws do not specify which social media companies would be covered in New Zealand.
Last year, New Zealand banned children from using mobile phones while at school – a policy designed to turn around the country’s plummeting literacy rates.

Australia passed landmark laws in November restricting under-16s from social media – one of the world’s toughest crackdowns on popular sites such as Facebook, Instagram and X.
But video-sharing website YouTube is likely to be exempt from Australia’s ban so children can use it for their school work.
Officials are yet to solve basic questions surrounding the laws, such as how the ban will be policed.
The move sparked a fierce backlash from big tech companies who variously described the laws as “rushed”, “vague”, and “problematic”.
Australia’s ban is set to come into effect by December.


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New Zealand

First Australia, now New Zealand eyes social media ban for under-16s

A student looks at social media apps on her mobile phone. Regulators the world over are wrestling with how to keep children safe online. Photo: Reuters

New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon stressed the need to shield children from the perils of social media platforms. Photo: AP 

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Terengganu police commissioner Mohd Khairi Khairudin. Photo: National Security Council of Malaysia

Asia debates Australia’s ban on ‘brain rot’ social media for children: safety or control?

Image: Huy Truong

School students in Melbourne use social media applications on their smartphones. Photo: Reuters

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Photo: Getty Images/TNS

A screengrab shows a post on X from Elon Musk regarding Australia’s bill to regulate social media. Photo: X/Elon Musk via Reuters

A teenage boy uses his smartphone in Sydney. Photo: AP

Malaysian social media influencer Rajeswary Appahue. Photo: Instagram/_rajeswaryappahu

PAS supporters carry party flags in Kelantan, Malaysia. PAS found social media success with its TikTok election campaign. Photo: Shutterstock

A handout photograph shows one of the teens in Singapore who were radicalised by Isis content online. Photo: Singapore’s Internal Security Department

People gather near the Merlion statue in in Singapore. Photo: AFP

Many parents worry about how to ensure their children’s safety online. Photo: Shutterstock

Japan eyes Australia’s under-16 social media ban amid addiction worries

Japanese schoolchildren cross a street in Tokyo. Photo: AFP

Australian PM Anthony Albanese speaks on the Online Safety Amendment Bill in Parliament House in Canberra on Monday. Photo: AAP via Reuters

Social media apps have faced scrutiny from US regulators over youth safety concerns. Photo: TNS

News

Asia

Australasia

Worried about cyberbullying and harmful content, New Zealand’s PM is pushing for a ban modelled on the one Australia is introducing


Worried about cyberbullying and harmful content, New Zealand’s PM is pushing for a ban modelled on the one Australia is introducing.


First Australia, now New Zealand eyes social media ban for under-16s

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Worried about cyberbullying and harmful content, New Zealand’s PM is pushing for a ban modelled on the one Australia is introducing

Worried about cyberbullying and harmful content, New Zealand’s PM is pushing for a ban modelled on the one Australia is introducing