This page is about a bill. That means that it's not the law yet, but some people want it to be the law. It could change quickly, and some of the information is just a draft.

Social Media (Age-Restricted Users) Bill

Introduction

You could also call this:

"Proposed Law to Keep Kids Safe on Social Media"

Illustration for Social Media (Age-Restricted Users) Bill

The purpose of this change is to help keep you safe from harm on some social media platforms. It wants to stop people under 16 years old from using these platforms. It will make the people who run these platforms take reasonable steps to prevent this. This change is trying to reduce the risk of harm to children like you from certain social media platforms. It will do this by making the platform providers take action to stop under 16-year-olds from accessing them. You will be safer online because of this change. The people who run these social media platforms will have to take steps to prevent you from accessing them if you are under 16. This is to help keep you safe from harm on these platforms. It is a way to protect children like you from potential harm online.

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This page was last updated on 27 October 2025

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS1536429.

Highlights from this law

7: Provider must take reasonable steps to prevent age-restricted users from having accounts

Stop age-restricted users from having social media accounts

12: Defence for failure to prevent age-restricted user from accessing age-restricted social media platforms

It's not the provider's fault if they tried to stop someone too young from using their site but were given wrong information.

6: Act binds the Crown

The law applies to the government too

5: Meaning of social media platform

What is a social media platform?

9: When court may make pecuniary penalty order

When you have to pay a fine for breaking a social media rule

10: Maximum amount of pecuniary penalty

The maximum fine for breaking social media rules is $2,000,000

11: Considerations for court

What the court thinks about when a social media provider does something wrong

Topics:

Family and relationships > Children and parentingHealth and wellbeing > Mental healthRights and equality > Anti-discrimination

General policy statement, or

"Keeping You Safe on Social Media"

Social Media (Age-Restricted Users) Bill

Assent:
Commencement: