New Zealand has moved to restrict social media access for children under 16, with the government introducing legislation that would require major platforms to take steps to prevent younger users from holding accounts. The proposed Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill was introduced to Parliament on August 24, 2026, as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen protections for children online.
Under the proposed law, social media platforms classified as age-restricted would have to take “reasonable steps” to ensure their users are at least 16 years old. The legislation would put the responsibility on technology companies rather than children or their parents. Platforms that fail to meet their obligations could face penalties of up to 10% of their global revenue.
The bill does not name every service that would automatically be covered. Instead, the government would designate platforms that meet the definition of an age-restricted social media service. Examples identified by the government include major platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook. Some other online services, including gaming and messaging platforms, would not fall under the proposed restriction.
Age verification would be a central part of the proposed system. Platforms could use different methods to determine whether users meet the minimum age requirement, including information already associated with an account, digital identity services, formal identification documents and facial age-estimation technology. Simply allowing users to enter their date of birth would not be sufficient on its own.
The proposed legislation would also introduce broader responsibilities for platforms. Age-restricted services would have to conduct child-safety risk assessments for New Zealand users under 18. These assessments would need to be updated at least annually and reviewed when a platform makes significant changes to its design or terms of use.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said the government is acting because of concerns about the effects of social media on young people. The government has cited potential impacts involving harmful content, addictive technology, mental health, sleep, education and family life as reasons for pursuing the legislation.
However, the proposal has encountered political opposition. New Zealand First and ACT, both members of the governing coalition, have opposed the legislation. New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has argued that responsibility for children’s social-media use should remain with parents and has criticised Australia’s experience with a similar policy.
The political situation changed on August 25 when New Zealand’s main opposition Labour Party announced that it would support legislation to restrict social media for under-16s. Labour has said it wants amendments to the proposal, giving the bill a potential path forward despite opposition from the government’s coalition partners.
New Zealand’s proposal follows Australia, which introduced a nationwide minimum age of 16 for social media in December 2025. Australia became the first country to implement such a nationwide restriction. New Zealand’s proposed system would similarly place the compliance burden on social media companies rather than imposing penalties on children.
The New Zealand legislation is still a proposal and is not yet law. Its future will depend on the parliamentary process and the country’s upcoming election. The debate is expected to focus on how age verification would work, how user privacy would be protected and how effectively platforms could enforce the proposed minimum age.
