WELLINGTON: New Zealand’s government has introduced legislation seeking to restrict social media access for people under 16, requiring major platforms to take effective steps to prevent children from using their services.
Under the proposed law, platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat would be required to implement age-verification measures and demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to prevent users younger than 16 from accessing their services.
Companies could use existing account information, age-estimation technology, digital identity services or government-issued identification documents to verify users’ ages. Major technology companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their global revenue.
The legislation would also require platforms to assess risks posed to young users and report on measures taken to reduce those risks.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the government could no longer ignore the potential harm social media poses to children. He said about one in three young people ages 13 to 17 spends at least five hours a day on social media.
Luxon said young people are being exposed to harmful content, addictive technologies and social pressures before they are adequately prepared to deal with them. He also raised concerns about the impact on children’s family lives, mental health, sleep and education.
Education Minister Erica Stanford said the proposed law would place legal responsibilities on social media platforms. She said there would be no fines or penalties for children, parents or caregivers who violate the proposed restrictions.
The proposal follows Australia’s decision to restrict social media access for people under 16 last December.
However, the legislation faces opposition from some of the government’s coalition partners. The libertarian ACT Party and populist New Zealand First have opposed the proposed ban, arguing that it could be ineffective and easily bypassed.
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The opposition Labour Party has also raised questions about how age verification would work and which platforms would fall under the restrictions. Labour lawmaker Ruben Davidson said protecting young people was important but that online risks were becoming increasingly complex.
