The New Zealand Government is moving to ban children under 16 from using social media as part of new legislation aimed at strengthening online safety and placing greater responsibility on technology companies.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said the Government would introduce the Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill to Parliament, describing the move as necessary to address the growing impact of social media on children.

“We simply cannot accept the harm being done to a generation of New Zealand children,” Luxon said.

The Government says one in three New Zealanders aged 13 to 17 now spends at least five hours a day on social media. It argues that exposure to harmful content, addictive technology and online pressures is affecting children’s family life, mental health, sleep and education.

Under the proposed law, high-risk platforms including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook would be required to take reasonable steps to prevent users under 16 from accessing their services. Possible age-verification methods include existing account information, facial age estimation, digital identity services and formal identification.

Platforms used by children would also have to regularly assess the risks they pose to young users and report on measures taken to identify and reduce those risks.

Companies that fail to meet their obligations could face significant penalties of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue. The legislation would also bring emerging technologies, including AI companion platforms, within the regulatory framework.

An online safety regulator would be established within the Department of Internal Affairs to monitor compliance, investigate platforms and enforce the proposed law.

Education Minister Erica Stanford said the legislation would not impose penalties on children, parents or caregivers.

“The Bill places legal obligations on platforms,” Stanford said, adding that the legislation would create a framework that could evolve as technology and online risks change.

The Government also plans to strengthen education and public awareness programmes to give parents, schools and communities more information and tools to help children use digital platforms safely.

Luxon acknowledged that the proposed restrictions would not prevent every child from accessing social media, but said evidence from Australia suggested minimum-age requirements were already influencing behaviour.

The Bill is being introduced to Parliament as New Zealand joins a growing number of countries considering tighter regulation of social media platforms and greater protections for children online.