New Zealand plans social media ban for under-16s

The New Zealand government on Monday announced plans to ban social media for children under 16.

The bill would require social media platforms the government deemed “high risk” to take reasonable steps to check that users are over 16 by using existing account information, facial age estimation, digital ID services and formal ID.

The law would cover platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, YouTube and X.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the government was “taking action to protect young people online, backing parents and holding Big Tech” accountable.