(Adnkronos) – The New Zealand government will introduce a law banning social media use for children under 16, joining several countries that have taken the same path. New Zealand has been considering a social media ban for over a year, after neighboring Australia implemented its world-leading legislation in December. “We absolutely cannot accept the harm being done to a generation of New Zealand children,” said Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, announcing the online safety bill, adding that “one in three children aged between 13 and 17 now spend at least five hours a day on social media.”
“Social media exposes them to harmful content, addictive technologies, and pressures they are not equipped to handle, with consequences for their family life, mental health, sleep, and education,” the New Zealand premier emphasized, stating that “platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, and Facebook will be required to take reasonable steps to verify that users are over 16.” They will need to use “existing account information, age estimation via facial recognition, digital identity services, and official identification documents” to verify age.
Platforms will also be required to assess the risks they pose and report on how these dangers are being mitigated; penalties will be introduced for companies that do not comply. Education Minister Erica Stanford stated that the bill “imposes legal obligations on platforms. No penalties are foreseen for minors, their parents, or guardians,” Stanford said.
