New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced plans to introduce legislation restricting children under 16 from using social media, Reuters reported.
Under the proposed bill, social media companies would be required to take reasonable measures to confirm users’ ages. Possible verification methods include existing account data, facial age estimation technology and digital identity documents. Platforms that fail to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue.
Luxon said the proposal is intended to protect children from harmful online content and the negative effects of social media on mental health, sleep, education and family life.
However, the New Zealand First party, a member of the governing coalition, has said it will not support the proposal. Party leader Winston Peters argued that restricting children’s social media use should primarily be the responsibility of parents.
Luxon acknowledged that a ban would not prevent every child from accessing social media but said the government should still attempt to reduce young people’s exposure to potential online harms. The proposal follows a similar measure introduced in Australia, which became the first country to prohibit children under 16 from using major social media platforms.
