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New Zealand to introduce bill banning social media for under-16s

New Zealand is set to introduce legislation that would prohibit children under the age of 16 from using social media platforms.

The Business Standard ยท 24 August 2026, 1:50 PM

The government of New Zealand is preparing to table a bill aimed at banning social media access for individuals under 16 years of age. Under the proposed legislation, social media platforms will be mandated to implement reasonable measures to verify the ages of their users.

To ensure compliance, companies will be required to utilize various verification methods, including existing account data, facial recognition technology, and digital identity documentation.