NZ opposition Labour backs social media ban for under-16s

New Zealand's main opposition party, Labour, has thrown its support behind a proposed ban on social media for individuals under 16. This move clears a significant hurdle for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's government, as his coalition partners had previously stated they would block the legislation.

Prime Minister Luxon's government had proposed that social media platforms implement measures to verify users' ages. These measures could include using existing account information, facial recognition technology, and digital identity documents. Non-compliant platforms could face substantial fines, potentially reaching 10% of their global revenue.

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With Labour's support there is no reason for the government to delay the bill and we expect to see it in through its first reading before the election.

However, the path forward for the bill is uncertain. Both the New Zealand First party and the ACT Party, junior partners in Luxon's coalition, have declared their opposition to the bill. This dissent raises the possibility that the legislation may not pass parliament before the general election scheduled for November 7.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters expressed concerns about the bill's direction, warning of a "slippery slope." Australia has already enacted a ban on social media for under-16s, and other countries like Britain are also taking steps to restrict children's access to these platforms.

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We have been concerned with the proposed legislation and the direction and slippery slope that legislation like this will inevitably take our country.