New Zealand PM Proposes Social Media Ban for Children Under 16

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has proposed a law that would prevent children under the age of 16 from using social media, saying that social media is causing harm to young people.

The proposal has not yet secured enough political support. Two of the three parties in Luxon’s coalition government oppose the bill, meaning it would need support from opposition lawmakers to pass.

Luxon said there is also not enough time for Parliament to complete the required voting process before it is dissolved ahead of the November election. If his government is re-elected, he intends to pursue the ban again.

Under the proposal, platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook would have to take reasonable measures to ensure their users are at least 16 years old. Possible age-verification methods include existing account information, facial age estimation, digital identification and official ID.

Messaging services such as WhatsApp, online gaming platforms such as Roblox, and productivity-focused AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot would not be covered by the proposed restrictions.

Children and their parents would not face penalties. However, social media companies could be fined as much as 10% of their global revenue if they failed to comply.

Luxon cited research showing that about one-third of New Zealand teenagers spent at least five hours a day on social media in 2025. He argued that social media exposes young people to harmful content, addictive technology and pressures that can affect their family life, mental health, sleep and education.

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