New Zealand’s main opposition Labour Party said it will support proposed legislation banning social media access for children under 16, giving Prime Minister Christopher Luxon a potential path to pass the measure despite opposition from his coalition partners.
The proposed law would require social media platforms to take reasonable steps to verify users’ ages through methods such as existing account data, facial technology and digital identity documents.
Platforms that fail to comply could face penalties of up to 10% of their global revenue, making the proposal one of the country’s most significant attempts to regulate children’s access to social media.
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said his party’s support means there is no reason for the government to delay the bill and called for it to receive its first parliamentary reading before the November 7 election.
Luxon’s coalition partners, New Zealand First and ACT, have said they will not support the legislation. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters warned that the proposal could create a broader regulatory “slippery slope.”
The debate follows similar moves internationally. Australia has already introduced a social media ban for under-16s, while Britain and several other countries are examining stronger restrictions on children’s access to online platforms.
