Ankara: New Zealand's government is moving to ban social media access for children under 16, with a bill set to be introduced in parliament, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Monday. Luxon highlighted that one in three children spends five hours a day on social media, indicating that these platforms expose young people to technology and pressures that affect family life, sleep, relationships, mental health, and education.

According to Anadolu Agency, in a video statement on US social media company X, Luxon noted that nearly 40% of teenagers expressed regret over the invention of social media. He stressed that social media is harming children, prompting the introduction of the bill to lawmakers on Monday. If passed, the legislation would impose accountability on social media platforms, with financial penalties for non-compliance.

The bill mandates that high-risk platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, YouTube, and X, implement age-verification measures such as facial estimation, digital IDs, or official identification documents. Companies that fail to comply could face fines of up to 10% of their annual global revenue. Despite the proposal, Luxon's coalition partners ACT and New Zealand First oppose the measure, necessitating opposition support for the National Party to pass the legislation.

New Zealand is part of a growing international effort to restrict minors' access to social media. Australia led the way with a nationwide social media ban for children under 16, effective from December 2025. Similarly, France, the UK, Denmark, Malaysia, and Indonesia have enacted or proposed measures aimed at protecting minors from harmful digital content and algorithms.