A newly established charity dedicated to improving online safety for children is welcoming the Government’s announcement this morning that a private member’s bill has been introduced to set a minimum age of 16 to access social media.

B4-16 (Before 16) is a non-partisan, independent group of parents, public health experts and business leaders who have been advocating for greater online protection for children, saying New Zealand is falling behind comparable countries in protecting children from online harm.

Today’s announcement follows Australia’s groundbreaking move in November last year to introduce the world’s first age restriction for under-16s on social media, requiring platforms to take “reasonable steps” to prevent underage use.

B4-16 is urging New Zealand policymakers to follow suit with a recent Horizon poll revealing 74% of adults support setting an age limit for social media access for children.

“Children need to be tech-savvy to thrive in today’s digital world - digital literacy is 100% essential. But social media is a different beast. It’s designed to be addictive, persuasive, and often exposes young minds to harmful content and pressures they’re not developmentally ready to handle.

“Delaying access for children doesn’t mean denying technology. It just means we’re giving Kiwi kids time to build resilience, critical thinking, and emotional maturity before we open the gates to an environment that is built for adult engagement,” says B4-16 co-Chair Cecilia Robinson.

While Australia, the UK, the EU and the US have introduced legislation to regulate social media and shield young people from online harm, New Zealand has not followed suit.

Unlike Australia – which has an independent eSafety Commissioner with powers to investigate harm, enforce standards, and hold platforms accountable – New Zealand has no dedicated regulator.

“At the moment, we put Big Tech first. We need a system that puts our children first,” says Dr Samantha Marsh, a public health researcher with the University of Auckland, and B4-16 advisor.

“It’s time for a truly independent regulatory body with the power to protect our children. Social media is harmful in a variety of ways, but particularly for young children. Education alone doesn't change behaviour – regulation is needed," says Marsh.

A growing body of international evidence shows that social media is a high-risk environment for children’s mental health, emotional wellbeing, and cognitive development.

“At Outward Bound, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact on teens' mental resilience when they step away from social media for days and weeks at a time. If we can protect growing brains and bodies for longer from addictive and harmful algorithms, we will be a better society for it. There is so much at stake,” said B4-16’s Malindi Maclean who is also tumuaki CEO of Outward Bound New Zealand.

The Ministry of Health’s latest New Zealand Health Survey revealed the number of 15–24 year olds in high or very high psychological distress increased by 400% for the eleven year period to 2023.

Studies consistently link social media use with anxiety, depression, disordered eating, sleep disruption, and poor academic outcomes.

In 2023, Youthline’s State of the Generation Report found that 75% of young people believed mental health was the biggest issue they face, and half of all young people in Aotearoa said social media was a major issue for them.

B416 says it's a complex issue which is too big for parents to manage on their own.

“We’ve got strong research showing social media is harmful, that it’s structurally changing our children’s brains – and it’s doing it at scale,” said Marsh.

“It’s a public health issue that requires regulation. New Zealand has laws to protect our children from smoking and alcohol and we need to do the same for social media.”

A 2024 Horizon Research poll found that 74% of New Zealanders support a legal age restriction for social media, with 83% concerned about harmful and inappropriate content online.

In its report, Meeting the Mental Health needs of young New Zealanders, the Office for the Auditor-General also raised concerns about rising levels of mental distress among young people aged 12-24. It estimated that mental illness costs New Zealand about 5% of gross domestic product annually – more than $20b.

B4-16 says the campaign presents a clear opportunity for cross-party action and is seeking government-wide support for regulation.

B4-16 is calling for:

legislation to set a minimum age of 16 to access social media platforms

the implementation of stronger ‘age assurance’ systems for age verification

a dedicated online safety regulator who is responsible for protecting children and young people from online harm, and has enforceable powers

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