New Zealand's Proposed Under-16 Ban

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on Monday a bill that would prohibit anyone younger than 16 from accessing social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook. The proposal follows Australia’s December 2025 law, which was the first worldwide ban on under-16 users.

How the Bill Would Work

Under the draft legislation, platforms would be required to verify that a user is older than 16 before granting access. Verification could involve existing account data, facial-age estimation, digital ID services or formal ID. If a platform fails to meet these obligations, it could face a fine of up to 10 % of its global revenue. The bill explicitly excludes messaging apps like WhatsApp, online-gaming sites such as Roblox and AI productivity tools including ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot.

Political Landscape

The bill will not be debated until after New Zealand’s general election on 14 November. Luxon said that if re-elected, his National-led coalition would become the latest country to enact age restrictions for social media. The other parties in the coalition - libertarian ACT and populist NZ First - have pledged to vote against the proposal, while the opposition Labour Party has yet to decide. Because Parliament will dissolve on 1 October, there will not be enough time for the three-stage voting process required for a bill to become law.

Context and Criticism

Australia’s ban has sparked debate worldwide. While child-safety advocates praise the move, privacy groups argue that the rules can be circumvented and that mandatory age verification raises serious privacy concerns. Professor Nicholas Carah of the University of Queensland warned that the Australian law “does not actually work in practice” and that more than 80 % of teenagers were still using social media three months after the ban. Amnesty International’s Hannah Storey called for a focus on “safe-by-design” platforms rather than blanket bans.

What Comes Next

If the bill passes, it would join a growing list of countries, including Canada, Brazil and Indonesia, that have enacted or are studying similar restrictions. The outcome will be decided by voters in November, after which the bill would go through the usual parliamentary process.