Signal New Zealand to introduce under-16 social media ban bill amid coalition split

Summary

New Zealand's government announced on August 25, 2026, that it will introduce an Online Safety Bill to parliament the following day banning users under 16 from social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said, "We have protections to keep children safe in the real world and we need them in the virtual world too." The bill's passage is uncertain because two coalition partners, the ACT Party and New Zealand First, announced they would vote against it; ACT leader and Deputy PM David Seymour said the ban would not work, while Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters called similar measures in other countries problematic. Under the bill, social media companies that fail to comply would face fines of up to 10% of global revenue, and platforms would be required to verify users' ages through account information, facial recognition, or digital identity checks. No penalties would apply to children, parents or caregivers.