Wellington (Web Desk) New Zealand has decided to ban children under the age of 16 from using social media, although the ban will not take effect immediately.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced on August 24, 2026, that the government would introduce a new bill in Parliament for this purpose. Under the proposed law, people under 16 will not be allowed to use social media accounts, while platforms will be required to take effective measures to verify users’ ages.
Various methods could be used for age verification, including existing account information, facial recognition, and social digital identity documents. Platforms that violate the law could face fines of up to 10 percent of their global revenue.
According to Prime Minister Luxon, social media is exposing young people to harmful content, addictive technology, and mental stress, affecting their mental health, sleep, education, and family life.
He said the government recognizes that fully enforcing the ban will not be easy, but the seriousness of the issue makes the measure necessary.