New Zealand’s prime minister proposes social media ban for under-16s

New Zealand’s prime minister has proposed banning children under 16 years old from using social media, in an effort to protect young people from harms such as exposure to violent content and cyberbullying, The Guardian reports.

PM Christopher Luxon said on Tuesday the draft law would force social media companies to verify users were at least 16 before allowing them to create an account, or face fines of up to NZ$2m ($1.2m).

While good things could come from social media, it was not always a safe place for young people and the onus was on tech companies to be socially responsible, Luxon said.

“This is about protecting our children. It’s about making sure social media companies are playing their role in keeping our kids safe,” Luxon said.