Key Points
- New Zealand introduces bill restricting social media access.
- Australia was the first country to impose an under-16 ban.
- Several countries are adopting or considering similar restrictions.
ISLAMABAD: New Zealand has moved to restrict social media use by children under 16, introducing legislation that would require major platforms to prevent underage users from holding accounts.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s government introduced the Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill on Monday, making New Zealand the latest country to pursue a legal minimum age for social media.
The proposed law would require social media companies to take reasonable steps to verify that users are at least 16 years old.
Possible age-verification methods include existing account information, digital identification and facial-age technology.
Social media platforms to face penalties
Platforms that fail to comply could face penalties of up to 10 per cent of their global revenue.
The government says the measure is aimed at protecting children from harmful online content, addictive technology and pressures that can affect their mental health, sleep, education and family relationships.
Luxon acknowledged that enforcing an age-based restriction would not be simple, but said the government had a responsibility to address the risks faced by young people online.
The proposed legislation, however, faces significant political uncertainty. New Zealand’s coalition partners, ACT and New Zealand First, have opposed the measure.
The opposition within the ruling coalition would require the government will need support from outside the coalition for it to advance through Parliament.
Australia was the first country in the world to introduce a nationwide minimum age of 16 for social media accounts.
Its restrictions came into force on December 10, 2025, requiring designated platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent people under 16 from creating or keeping accounts.
The Australian restrictions cover major platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, X, Reddit, Twitch and Kick. Platforms that fail to comply can face substantial financial penalties.
The Australian model has since prompted governments in other countries to consider similar measures.
Indonesia became the first Southeast Asian country to introduce a blanket restriction on social media access for children under 16.
Starting March 28, 2026, accounts belonging to under-16 users on designated high-risk platforms have been subject to gradual deactivation. The measures cover platforms including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and Roblox.
Malaysia began barring children under 16 from registering social media accounts on June 1, 2026.
Platforms are required to implement measures to prevent underage account registration as part of a wider effort to strengthen online safety.
Turkey’s parliament passed legislation in April banning social media use by children under 15 and requiring platforms to introduce age-verification measures.
The United Arab Emirates approved a resolution in June setting the minimum age for social media use at 15, becoming the first Arab country to introduce such a nationwide restriction.
Children under 15 are prohibited from creating or operating personal social media accounts.
Several other countries have proposed, debated or begun preparing similar restrictions, although these measures are not all currently in force.
Britain has said it plans to introduce an under-16 social media ban, potentially taking effect in 2027. Spain has also announced plans to restrict social media access for under-16s, with platforms expected to use age-verification systems.
READ READ: Britain Announces Sweeping Social Media Ban for Under-16s
Denmark has announced plans for a minimum social media age of 15, with parental consent potentially allowing some children aged 13 and 14 to use selected platforms.
Sweden is considering a minimum age of 15, and Poland and Slovenia are preparing legislation aimed at restricting social media access for younger teenagers.
France had approved legislation seeking to restrict social media access for children under 15, but the country’s top court blocked the measure in August on freedom-of-expression grounds.
Greece has been preparing an under-15 restriction, while Norway is working on legislation to establish a minimum age of 15.
Italy already requires parental consent for children under 14 to sign up for social media accounts. Germany allows children aged 13 to 16 to use social media with parental consent.
China has adopted a different approach, using a “minor mode” system that imposes device-level and application-specific restrictions on children’s screen time rather than introducing a blanket minimum-age ban.
The United States has no nationwide under-16 social media ban, although several states have adopted or proposed parental-consent requirements and Congress is considering broader legislation aimed at protecting children online.
The growing restrictions reflect increasing concern among governments about cyberbullying, exposure to harmful content, addictive platform design, online predators and the potential impact of intensive social media use on children’s mental health and wellbeing.
The debate also centres on enforcement and privacy.
Governments are increasingly turning to age-verification technology, raising questions about how platforms can establish a user’s age without collecting excessive personal information.
New Zealand’s proposal therefore adds to a rapidly expanding international experiment over how governments, technology companies and parents should balance children’s online safety with privacy, freedom of expression and access to digital communication.
