New Zealand plans to ban people under 16 from using social media, joining the ranks of many countries around the world, hoping to stop the Internet from harming children. Prime Minister Christopher Laxson said at a press conference that the government will introduce the “Cybersecurity Bill” on Monday, which will require high-risk social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook to take reasonable measures to verify whether users have reached the age of 16. Laxson said, “We can no longer stand by and wait for big tech companies to solve this problem on their own. They had a few years to act, but they haven't acted.” In an accompanying statement, Luxon said that one-third of 13- to 17-year-olds spend at least 5 hours a day on social media. “Social media exposes them to harmful content, addictive technology, and stress they can't handle, which is affecting their family lives, mental health, sleep, and education,” he said. New Zealand became the latest country to follow Australia's example. Australia banned the use of social media by minors under 16 at the end of 2025. Since then, more than 20 countries have enacted similar bans or are considering similar measures.

New Zealand plans to ban people under 16 from using social media, joining the ranks of many countries around the world, hoping to stop the Internet from harming children. Prime Minister Christopher Laxson said at a press conference that the government will introduce the “Cybersecurity Bill” on Monday, which will require high-risk social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook to take reasonable measures to verify whether users have reached the age of 16. Laxson said, “We can no longer stand by and wait for big tech companies to solve this problem on their own. They had a few years to act, but they haven't acted.” In an accompanying statement, Luxon said that one-third of 13- to 17-year-olds spend at least 5 hours a day on social media. “Social media exposes them to harmful content, addictive technology, and stress they can't handle, which is affecting their family lives, mental health, sleep, and education,” he said. New Zealand became the latest country to follow Australia's example. Australia banned the use of social media by minors under 16 at the end of 2025. Since then, more than 20 countries have enacted similar bans or are considering similar measures.