New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon just did something pretty darn bold. His bill would create a policy to keep kids under 16 off social media platforms. This small but meaningful initiative helps shield our young people from the threats they face through big tech’s exploitation. It complements similar legislation that was recently passed in Australia. Luxon, the new leader of the conservative National Party, made an impassioned plea during a press conference. He stressed the newly critical need to defend children in a digital world.
Meanwhile, Luxon’s National Party has written model legislation. These laws would mandate social media platforms to age-check users and ensure they are 16 and older. Noncompliance could lead to hefty penalties up to NZ$2 million (about $1.85 million). The details of which platforms would be covered by the legislation remain murky. Luxon is looking for cross-party support within the New Zealand Parliament itself.
“It’s time that New Zealand acknowledged that, for all the good things that come from social media, it’s not always a safe place for our young people to be,” said Luxon. But most of all he hit home the need to hold these platforms accountable. They have to shield young, vulnerable children from harmful content, cyberbullying and exploitation.
The legislative proposal is clearly the result of increasing alarm from parents about social media and its consequences for children. Luxon said parents have been telling the government their concerns about how their children are treated online. “Parents are constantly telling us that they are really worried about the impact that social media is having on their children,” he stated. He noted that it’s hard for families to control how their children are accessing these platforms.
The National Party is the key partner in New Zealand’s three-way governing coalition. Luxon’s proposal will require additional backing from his new-found coalition partners to progress. Last October, New Zealand made the call to ban mobile phones from schools. This policy to address the literacy crisis facing our students.
Luxon might be right to be hopeful of winning legislative support for his new initiative. This push is almost identical to Australia’s newly-adopted measure prohibiting kids from accessing social media. Australia’s legislation is expected to go into effect by this coming December. But it is still unclear when Luxon’s proposal will be formally tabled in parliament.
