New Zealand introduces bill to ban social media for children under 16
Harjinder Singh Basiala
Auckland (New Zealand), August 24, 2026: The New Zealand government has introduced legislation in Parliament seeking to restrict social media access for children under the age of 16, citing concerns over the impact of online platforms on young people’s mental health, sleep and education.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the proposed legislation alongside Education Minister Erica Stanford, saying the measure was aimed at protecting children from harmful and potentially dangerous content online.
Under the proposed law, social media companies including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, X and Facebook would be required to take steps to verify the age of their users. Possible age-verification methods include digital identification, facial age-estimation technology and government-issued documents.
A new regulatory mechanism under the Department of Internal Affairs would oversee compliance with the proposed rules. Social media companies that fail to meet their obligations could face legal action, while children and their parents would not be subject to penalties.
However, the proposal faces a political hurdle, with government allies ACT and New Zealand First opposing the legislation. This means the government may require support from the opposition Labour Party for the bill to advance.
Labour has not yet confirmed whether it will support the legislation and has raised questions about its scope and implementation. The party’s position is expected to become clearer when the bill undergoes its first reading in Parliament.
The proposed restrictions would not cover several widely used digital services, including WhatsApp, Discord and Roblox. AI tools such as ChatGPT would also fall outside the scope of the proposed legislation.
Luxon has argued that excessive or harmful social media use can negatively affect children’s wellbeing, sleep and education. The government says the legislation is part of a broader effort to make major technology companies more accountable for protecting young users.
If passed, the bill would mark a significant step by New Zealand towards regulating children’s access to social media and strengthening safeguards against potentially harmful online content.
Tags: New Zealand, Christopher Luxon, social media ban, children under 16, social media, Parliament, online safety, child protection, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, digital safety