New Zealand proposes social media ban for under-16s

New Zealand’s National Party has announced plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit children under 16 from using social media platforms. The proposed bill would require platforms to take reasonable steps to verify users’ ages and could impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global revenue for non-compliance.

The legislation would also require platforms to assess the risks they pose to young users and report on measures taken to reduce those risks. Proposed age-verification methods could include existing account information, facial technology and digital identity documents.

The proposal follows similar measures and debates in other countries seeking to strengthen protections for children online. However, several political parties in New Zealand have indicated that they may oppose the bill, raising concerns about its effectiveness and practical implementation.

If introduced and passed, the legislation would place responsibility on social media platforms to prevent under-16s from accessing their services.