New Zealand Proposes Ban on Social Media Use for Under-16s with Heavy Fines for Noncompliance

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Monday that his party will introduce a bill to Parliament aiming to prohibit children under 16 from using social media platforms. The proposed legislation would impose fines of up to 10% of global revenues on companies that fail to comply. Platforms would be required to verify users' ages through existing account data, facial recognition technology, and digital ID documents.

Luxon emphasized the harm social media causes to New Zealand's youth, including exposure to harmful content, addictive technologies, and social pressures that negatively affect mental health, sleep quality, and academic performance. Despite these concerns, the bill's passage remains uncertain as coalition partner New Zealand First opposes it. Party leader and Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed worries about the bill on social media platform X, calling it a "slippery slope" and arguing that parental responsibility should govern children's social media access.

The proposal follows Australia's December enactment of a similar ban targeting platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook, which Peters criticized as a "colossal failure." Luxon acknowledged enforcement challenges, admitting not all children could be kept off social media and some would find ways to bypass restrictions, but stressed the importance of attempting to protect youth.

In related news, Israel ranks fourth in Europe for youth social media addiction, and France recently approved a ban on social media access for children aged 15 and under.