A bill aimed at restricting access to social media by children under the age of 16 will be tabled in New Zealand’s parliament, officials announced today.

The proposed legislation would require social media platforms to carry out user age verification, similar to the law setting a minimum age of 16 for the use of certain social media platforms, which was passed by the Australian parliament in 2024, the first such law in the world.

A bill tabled in May by the ruling National Party MP Catherine Wendt to curb children’s use of social media has been selected to be debated in parliament today.

The bill has received the support of members of the National Party but its partners in government have not confirmed whether they will vote for it.

In New Zealand, a bill can be proposed by any non-cabinet member of parliament, and it is chosen for debate in parliament by lottery.

It is not yet clear when the draft law will be submitted to parliament.

A parliamentary committee is looking at the negative impact social media is having on young users and the roles government, business and society should play in managing these impacts.

A relevant report is expected in early 2026, according to a statement issued by the committee last week.

Prime Minister Christopher Lacson has raised concerns about the negative mental health effects of teenagers’ excessive use of social media, including misinformation, bullying and dangerous representations of body image.

Civil liberties group PILLAR argues the bill will not protect children online, but will instead create serious privacy risks and limit online freedom for New Zealanders.