National Party wants social media ban on under-16s

Tuesday, 6 May 2025

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon wants Parliament to legislate for a ban on social media for children and teens under 16 years old, following a similar move in Australia.

But coalition partner ACT says it opposes a ban.

Luxon fronted reporters with MP Catherine Wedd on Tuesday morning after Wedd put forward a member’s bill that would legislate a ban for under-16s.

Notably, the National Party has not sought to pass the law through a Government bill ‒ meaning agreement with coalition parties ACT and NZ First has not been reached. Luxon said he was “keen to explore” making it a Government bill, or obtaining bipartisan support, so it would pass into law faster.

“Social media should not be exempt from social responsibility, and it is time that we put the onus on these platforms to protect vulnerable children from harmful content, cyber bullying and exploitation,” Luxon said.

“We're mirroring work that's happening around the world … I understand there's real implementation challenges, and I get that, but I think we have to try … We want to protect our kids.”

Bans on children using social media have been gaining support across the Western world, and there appears concern in New Zealand about its harm to children.

Polling data provided to The Post by Talbot Mills Research showed that, in a March survey of 1000 people, 44% said they were very concerned about children’s interactions of social media, and 39% were moderately concerned.

Bullying, explicit content, and anxiety and depression were most significant worries among those who held concerns.

However, a majority of those surveyed said social media was “basically impossible to control”, that it was too hard for a parent to control their children’s use, and that it was “not an area government needs to get involved in”.

Numerous state governments in the United States have passed age-verification laws for social media, or are in the process of doing so. An age-verification law will come into effect for pornography websites in the United Kingdom in July, and other measures will be installed to protect children on social media. The Australian ban will come into effect late this year.

Luxon said his own “journey” about cellphone and social media use was informed by Jonathan Haidt, an American social psychologist who has spearheaded a campaign against social media use for children, and whose 2024 book The Anxious Generation has influenced policy makers across the world.

“I got to meet him when he came out to New Zealand in 2019 and that's actually started the thinking about the mobile phone ban and obviously social media age restrictions.

“We've been talking about it for the last 18 months … last month we signed it off as a caucus.”

ACT leader David Seymour said his party shared concerns about social media doing “enormous harm to young people”, but a ban would be “wrong” and “not workable”.

“ACT is concerned about the practicalities of a ban. For example, requiring all social media users to provide government identification to social media companies would raise privacy issues.

“Instead, we ask the Education and Workforce Committee to hold an open, transparent inquiry. The inquiry should hear all voices and solutions to find a workable solution that respects parental responsibility.”

Seymour said the bill, as written, “more or less includes the entire internet” and New Zealand would be better to learn from the mistake Australia’s law may produce once it comes into effect.

NZ First leader Winston Peters said the bill had “all the hallmarks of being very necessary” and it should be a Government bill.

Asked if social media was harming children, he said, “of course it is”.

“It seriously needs to go to a select committee.”

Labour leader Chris Hipkins said a ban on under-16s using social media was “something we’re open to”.

“It’s a debate we need to have. I think kids are very at risk online at the moment and, if anything, I think the Government have been removing protections there.

“So for example, they've removed the requirement for schools to be teaching kids about the dangers of things like pornography.”

He said the Government should “show leadership” on the issue, not leave it for a members’ bill.

Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick warned of having “knee-jerk” moral panics about young people and phones.

“It's very clear that the way that social media algorithms operate are not in the best interest of the health of democracy, let alone the health of young people, but I'd also say the health of middle aged and older people too.

“That's why it's really critical that actually we have this conversation in that broader context.”

She said there was “very clearly” issues with billionaire-owned social media creating greater outrage and political polarisation.

“Those are bigger questions which we would love to see cross-party work on.

The bill, which will enter the “biscuit tin” or members’ bill ballot for potential entry into the House, would insist that social media companies make all reasonable efforts to prevent under-16s from creating an account.

If social media platforms don’t comply, there would be financial penalties. A Cabinet minister would be empowered to designate platforms as requiring verification that users were above 16-years.

Australia intends to ban the likes of TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and X for under-16s. YouTube will be exempt.

Wedd said her bill would be aimed at “the traditional platforms” such as Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, “but further platforms will certainly be explored through the process”.

Google, Meta, Snap Inc, and TikTok have been contacted for comment.

Luxon also said he knew the people behind a new charity group supporting a ban, called “B4-16”. The group is led by My Food Bag founder Cecilia Robinson and former Xero executive and Kiwibank director Anna Curzon.

“Children need to be tech-savvy to thrive in today’s digital world - digital literacy is 100% essential. But social media is a different beast. It’s designed to be addictive, persuasive, and often exposes young minds to harmful content and pressures they’re not developmentally ready to handle,” Robinson said, in a statement.

“Delaying access for children doesn’t mean denying technology. It just means we’re giving Kiwi kids time to build resilience, critical thinking, and emotional maturity before we open the gates to an environment that is built for adult engagement.”