New Zealand moves towards under 16 social media ban with 10 per cent fine

MUMBAI: New Zealand is putting a new age limit on the social media scroll. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s government is preparing legislation that would restrict children under 16 from accessing major social media platforms, putting the onus on technology companies to keep younger users off their services.

The proposed Online Safety Bill is aimed at limiting children’s exposure to harmful content, addictive technology and the wider effects of excessive social media use. The government says the move responds to growing concerns over how much time young people spend online.

Luxon said the government could not ignore the harm social media was causing a generation of New Zealand children. Government figures cited by him show that one in three children aged 13 to 17 spends at least five hours a day on social media.

Under the proposed framework, social media platforms classified as high-risk would have to take “reasonable steps” to establish users’ ages. Possible methods include checking existing account information, facial age-estimation technology, digital identity services and formal identification documents.

The financial sting could be significant. Platforms that fail to enforce the restrictions could face penalties of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue, according to the proposal.

Australia sets the precedent

New Zealand’s plan follows Australia, which became the first country to introduce a nationwide social media age restriction for under-16s. Its rules came into effect on December 10, 2025, requiring covered platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from creating or maintaining accounts.

Australia’s restrictions cover Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube, X, Reddit and Twitch, while the government has also moved to strengthen enforcement and penalties.

New Zealand’s version, however, is already running into political headwinds. New Zealand First, a coalition partner, has said it will not support the legislation. Its leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters has criticised Australia’s approach and argued that keeping children away from social media should primarily remain a parental responsibility.

That opposition could complicate the bill’s passage through Parliament, particularly with New Zealand’s general election scheduled for November.

The proposal comes amid a wider international debate over children’s access to social media. Countries including the UK, Denmark, Malaysia and Spain are considering or implementing different forms of age restrictions, while policymakers weigh outright bans against age verification and stronger parental controls.

For New Zealand, the question is no longer simply how long children should spend online. It is whether 16 becomes the new password for entering the social media world and whether platforms are ready to police the door.