The New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has unveiled a draft bill that would prohibit children under the age of 16 from accessing social media platforms. If passed, the legislation would make New Zealand the second country in the world to implement such a measure, closely mirroring landmark laws passed by Australia in late 2024, which are due to come into effect later this year.
The proposed bill, introduced by National Party MP Catherine Wedd, would require digital platforms to verify users’ ages before allowing them to open an account. Companies that fail to do so could face fines of up to NZ$2 million (AU$1.8 million). Luxon said the proposal responds to rising concerns from parents and educators about the psychological and emotional toll social media is having on young New Zealanders.
“This is about protecting our children. It’s about making sure social media companies are playing their role in keeping our kids safe,” Luxon said.
With teachers and parents growing increasingly concerned with cyberbullying and exposure to violent or inappropriate content. Wedd emphasised that New Zealand currently lacks any enforceable age verification rules, leaving families without adequate tools to monitor their children’s online engagement.
“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.”
The proposed ban is modelled on Australia’s legislation, passed last November, which will prevent under-16s from accessing platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. That move sparked backlash from tech companies but was widely supported by Australian parents and lawmakers across party lines.
In a rare moment of bipartisanship, both Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton supported the reform, citing escalating mental health issues and online harms experienced by children. Despite objections from some mental health experts and tech companies concerned about privacy and feasibility, the legislation passed with overwhelming support.
New Zealand appears poised to follow suit. A 1News Verian poll conducted late last year found that more than two-thirds of Kiwis support restricting social media access for minors under 16.
The bill has not yet been introduced to Parliament, and no formal timeline has been announced but Luxon has called for bipartisan cooperation and expressed hope that his government’s two coalition partners will support the bill.
“This is not a political issue, it’s a New Zealand issue,” he said. “This is a conversation we need to have as a country. The Australians have been courageous and tackled it. I think New Zealand needs to do the same”.
Regional Shift in Digital Policy
Australia’s forthcoming law was the first of its kind in the world and sparked global debate around the role of government in protecting children from online harm. Advocates of the New Zealand proposal say a united front across the ditch is a natural next step.
Australia’s legislation has not been without controversy. Major platforms such as Meta, TikTok and Google raised red flags during a rushed Senate inquiry, warning of unintended consequences like pushing young people to less regulated platforms and creating privacy risks with unproven age verification systems.
Mental health professionals have also been divided. Some argue social media has no mental health benefit for young people, while others warn that bans could isolate already vulnerable youth from peer connection and support services.
Those debates are expected to surface in New Zealand as well. Media and advertising industry leaders have already begun weighing in on the proposal, with commentary expected to follow in the coming days.
Richard Thompson, co-founder and partner at D3 told B&T that as a media agency owner and a father, he can clearly see both sides of the argument. “I fully support efforts to improve young people’s wellbeing online, it matters deeply to me as a parent. But I also know, from both experience and observation, that enforcing these rules isn’t easy,” he said.
“Take vaping laws in the US; age restrictions are in place, but kids still manage to get access, often through friends or retailers who don’t check properly. Unless we have smart tech that respects privacy while verifying age, it’s going to be hard to make a real impact.
Thompson said that the best way forward is to balance accountability with education while not isolating young people. “I believe the best way forward is a mix of things: holding platforms accountable, supporting parents with tools and information, and teaching young people how to navigate the digital world safely. That way, we protect them without cutting off the positive parts of being connected.”
Hamish Smith, founder of PrettyGood, on the contrary, was less on the fence, expressing vehement support for the ban. “Let’s be honest, the numbers are scary. Since 2012, psychological distress among young Kiwis aged 15–24 has shot up by 400%. At the same time, teens are clocking up over 42 hours a week on social media. Whilst we can argue about correlation and causation, social media is not good for kids or adults,” he told B&T.
“74 per cent of New Zealand adults now think it’s time to set an age limit for social media access. I love technology and all the good it can do, but we can’t keep ignoring the damage unrestricted access is causing: cyberbullying, harmful and violent content, and disinformation.
“Furthermore, a retrospective, half-hearted apology from the tech-bros every time something goes wrong just doesn’t cut the mustard,” Smith said.
New Zealand, he said, has the chance to lead the way on this matter just like Australia did before it. “I believe we need a minimum age of 16 for social media, proper age checks, and an online safety watchdog with real teeth. Kids need space to be creative, not consumed by content. It’s time to make social media safer for our young people,” he said.
If passed, the law would mark a major shift in how New Zealand approaches online safety for young people, bringing the country in line with Australia’s tough stance, which comes into force at the end of 2025, and signalling growing momentum for stricter social media regulation.
