New Zealand has joined the worldwide effort to prevent those under the age of 16 from using social media.

      New Zealand plans to introduce a bill mandating that platforms verify users are at least 16 years old, despite the opposition of two out of three coalition partners, and there will be no vote prior to the November elections. In France, the prohibition for those under 15 will come into effect on September 1, but it will lack an age verification requirement.

      On Monday, New Zealand will present a bill that requires social media platforms to confirm users are older than 16. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon mentioned that penalties for failing to comply could reach up to 10% of a platform’s global earnings. However, the bill is far from becoming law as it will not advance before the election on November 7, and two of Luxon's coalition parties have expressed their opposition to it.

      An intriguing point of contention from within the government comes from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who argues that no available method can meet the bill’s objectives without prohibiting VPNs or mandating digital IDs for compliance.

      Luxon counters this with a numerical argument, asserting that a CEO managing operations in 42 countries with similar regulations will pay more attention to the issue than they would in one small nation.

      The precedent set by Australia offers little support for this approach, as its ban resulted in only a slight reduction in underage users within the first three months, while testing by TNW showed that it faltered at the initial verification stage.

      Europe is further along in this issue than commonly portrayed. France enacted a ban on under-15s using social media in July, which will take effect on September 1, accompanied by a grace period until January 1 for existing accounts. However, French legislators later removed the provision that would have allowed age verification systems to be submitted to the regulator Arcom before the bill's passage, contrasting with Norway’s plan to assign liability to platforms.

      What remains relies on Brussels, as enforcement now hinges on the Digital Services Act, which is based on a framework not originally designed for this situation. The European Parliament has at least reached a decision, voting 483 to 92 in November to establish a harmonized minimum digital age of 16, allowing access from age 13 with parental consent, though this resolution is not binding.

      Consensus is lacking. Estonia is one of the few EU nations opposing bans on children's social media participation.

      The emerging trend is observable across four continents: bans continue to be enacted, but the verification requirements are being diminished, with a New Zealand coalition partner articulating what many governments are unwilling to address.

      Published August 24, 2026 - 7:51 am UTC

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