New Zealand is preparing to join a growing group of countries limiting social media access for young teenagers. According to a Bloomberg report, the government’s proposed Online Safety Bill would require major platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook, to take reasonable steps to verify that users are at least 16 years old. However, the legislation is not expected to advance until after the country’s general election in November.
Following Australia’s Lead
New Zealand’s proposal mirrors a broader international trend, with several regions now weighing or enacting similar age restrictions to shield teens from potentially harmful online exposure. Australia’s ban, widely viewed as the most significant test case for these policies, has struggled to deliver its intended results. A six-month review by Australia’s eSafety Commissioner found that most underage teens are still finding ways onto social platforms, and there’s been little measurable change in either problematic usage patterns or overall teen wellbeing. Notably, teens who did cut back on social media use reportedly shifted toward messaging apps and online games instead.
Enforcement Remains a Sticking Point
Meta has said it removed roughly 750,000 underage accounts in Australia since restrictions took effect, yet enforcement gaps persist. Many teens have reportedly bypassed verification simply by entering a false, older birth date, exposing weaknesses in current age-checking systems. Critics warn that pushing teens away from mainstream platforms could drive them toward less-regulated, potentially riskier alternatives rather than reducing screen time altogether. As New Zealand and other nations consider similar measures, experts suggest that stronger, more reliable verification tools will be essential if these bans are to achieve their stated goals of protecting young users online.