Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has announced that the Government will now explore ways to restrict social media use for children under 16.
Education Minister Erica Stanford has been chosen to lead this investigation and will report back to Cabinet with possible solutions.
This idea started as a members’ bill from National MP Catherine Wedd. It received strong support from parents, which encouraged the Government to make it part of their official work programme. Luxon said the goal is to protect young people from the harmful effects of social media.
“I believe restricting access for under-16s would help protect our kids from bullying, harmful content, and addiction to social media,” said the Prime Minister.
Other countries like Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and several U.S. states are also looking at or testing similar restrictions. Minister Stanford will study what those places are doing and consider what might work best for New Zealand.
She will work with different parts of the Government and gather expert advice to create possible laws and plans. The goal is to find the safest and most effective way to reduce harm from social media.
While this work continues, Catherine Wedd’s original bill will stay in the ballot and might still be used in the future. Prime Minister Luxon thanked her for raising the issue and starting the conversation.
