National MP Catherine Wedd has introduced a new Members’ Bill aiming to ban children under 16 from accessing social media platforms in New Zealand. 

Wedd, MP for Tukituki in Hawke’s Bay, said social media was an “extraordinary resource”, but it comes with risks. 

“Right now, we aren’t managing the risks for our young people well.” 

On X this morning, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said this move is intended to protect young people from bullying, inappropriate content and social media addiction. 

Wedd said the Social Media Age-Appropriate Users Bill would put the onus on social media companies to verify that someone is over the age of 16 before they access social media platforms. Currently, there are no legally enforceable age verification measures for social media platforms in New Zealand. 

“As a mother of four children, I feel very strongly that families and parents should be better supported when it comes to overseeing their children’s online exposure,” Wedd said. 

“Parents and principals are constantly telling me they struggle to manage access to social media and are worried about the effect it’s having on their children.” 

Wedd said the bill closely mirrors the approach taken in Australia, which passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill in December 2024. 

“Other jurisdictions are also taking action. Texas recently passed legislation which bans under-18s from social media use and the UK, the EU and Canada all have similar work in train. 

“This bill builds on National’s successful cell phone ban in schools and reinforces the Government’s commitment to setting our children up for success.” 

More to come