Key Takeaways
- Social media platforms have been found to amplify racism, stereotyping, and harmful narratives, particularly affecting Māori and Pasifika young people.
- Neurodiverse children are more vulnerable to emotional dysregulation and struggle to disengage from platforms engineered for continuous engagement.
- The design of social media platforms, including features like infinite scroll and recommendation algorithms, plays a significant role in magnifying harm to young people.
- Australia has introduced a ban on social media accounts for under-16s, and New Zealand is considering similar legislation.
- The ban is expected to reduce online harm and provide a safer digital environment for young people.
Introduction to the Issue
The use of social media among young people has become a significant concern in recent years. A committee of MPs in New Zealand has been investigating the impact of social media on young people, and the evidence they have received highlights the need for urgent action. The committee has heard from Māori and Pasifika young people who have described racism, stereotyping, and harmful narratives amplified by algorithms. Neurodiverse children have also been found to be more vulnerable to emotional dysregulation and struggle to disengage from platforms engineered for continuous engagement. Young people who are already experiencing anxiety, bullying, or instability at home have told the committee that social media often intensifies their distress, turning everyday worries into crises.
The Role of Platform Design
The design of social media platforms has been identified as a significant contributor to the harm experienced by young people. Features like infinite scroll, recommendation algorithms, appearance filters, and notification loops have been cited as pulling young people into patterns of comparison, compulsion, and self-doubt. These design choices are not neutral and shape behavior and emotional responses in ways that young people cannot reasonably be expected to navigate alone. The committee has noted that online harm is not simply the result of "bad choices" or insufficient parental supervision, but rather a predictable outcome of environments designed without children’s developmental needs in mind.
The Need for Collective Action
The committee’s report makes clear that New Zealand’s regulatory system is fragmented and outdated. No single agency is responsible for overseeing online safety, and there is no mechanism to govern platform design, algorithms, or age enforcement. Many parents and teachers have told the committee that they are overwhelmed and operating without consistent national guidance or structural support. The committee has concluded that collective action is overdue, and Australia’s recent decision to ban social media accounts for under-16s has been seen as a decisive moment in addressing the issue.
Australia’s Decisive Moment
Australia’s move to ban social media accounts for under-16s has been welcomed by many as a long-needed acknowledgment that the digital environment has moved beyond what families, communities, and schools can reasonably manage on their own. The reaction across Australia has been one of relief, gratitude, and a collective exhale from parents who have felt outmatched for years. The ban is seen as a public health protection, similar to restrictions on smoking, drinking, and driving, and is expected to reduce online harm and provide a safer digital environment for young people.
The New Zealand Context
New Zealand is now considering similar legislation, with the Education Minister confirming that the coalition Government intends to legislate a social media ban for under-16s before the next election. The Prime Minister has also reiterated his determination to act on youth online safety, saying he would deliver meaningful change "or die trying." The commitment to act has been welcomed by many, but the question remains how quickly New Zealand will turn words into action and whether they will move at a pace that genuinely protects young people.
The Evidence from Young People
Research by the Public Health Communication Centre (PHCC) has found that almost every young person in New Zealand uses social media, typically beginning between ages 10 and 13. Daily usage is high, with nearly one in three teens reporting spending five hours or more a day on platforms designed to keep them engaged. One in five meets clinical criteria for "problematic use," a pattern that closely resembles behavioral addiction. Many young people have described feeling trapped, anxious, pressured to perform, constantly comparing themselves, and feeling somewhat invisible when they do not post. Almost half have said they started too young, and nearly four in 10 have said they wished social media had never been invented.
The Response to Australia’s Ban
The ban on social media accounts for under-16s in Australia has been met with a range of reactions. Some teenagers have voiced uncertainty or resentment, worrying about losing social connections or being treated like children. Some parents have expressed concern about VPNs, shared devices, or unintended consequences. However, the dominant tone from those closest to the issue, parents, teachers, mental health workers, and many teens, has been one of tentative hope: a belief that maybe the pressure might ease, maybe peer comparison would slow, and maybe youthful sleep cycles might recover.
The Road Ahead
Australia’s move is part of a wider shift to build a safer digital environment. New Zealand has now committed to acting, and the question is how quickly they will turn words into action. The evidence from the select committee’s inquiry shows clearly why action is needed, and the commitment to introduce similar legislation is a significant step forward. The real question is whether New Zealand will move at a pace that genuinely protects young people, and whether they will learn from Australia’s experience in introducing a ban on social media accounts for under-16s.