Should We Ban Social Media for Under 16s?

Recently, the New Zealand government announced proposed legislation that would ban social media access for anyone under the age of 16. The idea is simple on the surface: protect our kids from the growing dangers of online life. But like most things in parenting, education, and politics ... it’s really not that simple.

What’s Being Proposed?

The bill aims to restrict anyone under the age of 16 from using social media platforms. While full details are still unfolding, it appears to rely on platforms verifying user age, and potentially using parental controls or filters to block access.

A similar law has recently been enacted in Australia. In November 2024, the Australian Parliament passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act 2024, which prohibits individuals under 16 from creating accounts on major social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter). The legislation mandates that social media companies implement effective age verification systems within a year of enactment and imposes fines of up to A$50 million (approximately NZ$54 million) for non-compliance. Notably, there are no exemptions for parental consent or pre-existing accounts. However, platforms used for education and health services, like YouTube, WhatsApp, and Google Classroom, are exempt from this ban.

On the surface, it may sound like a good move - after all, we’ve all seen the impact social media can have on mental health, cyberbullying, body image, and online safety.

But it also raises serious questions: How will it be enforced? What actually changes for kids who already know how to bypass restrictions? Are we solving the problem, or just burying it under a band-aid?

My Thoughts

Social Media is Scary - But I Don't Think Bans Are Solely the Answer

I get the impulse behind the bill because social media is scary. As a parent, but also someone with over 600,000 followers, I’ve seen the risks firsthand ... predators, bullying, addiction, misinformation, the works. It’s a lot.

But banning kids from platforms entirely feels like shutting the door and hoping the monsters disappear. It gives the illusion of safety without actually addressing the deeper issue.

Teach Them to Swim, Don’t Drain the Pool

It feels a bit like refusing to teach them how to swim because water is dangerous. Instead of giving them swimming lessons, showing them where it’s safe to dive in, and keeping an eye on them as they learn … we just tell them to stay away from the pool until they’re older.

But the water’s still there and their friends are already swimming. So when they finally do jump in, they’re unprepared, unsupported, and left to figure it out on their own.

Wouldn’t it make more sense to teach them how to swim, rather than pretend the water doesn’t exist?

Wouldn’t it make more sense to teach our kids now, while they’re still listening, so they’re prepared for the online world when they do step into it? And instead of just keeping them out, wouldn’t it be better to focus on cleaning up the space they’re eventually going to enter? Right now, we’re letting social media stay a cesspool and just hoping our kids don’t fall in; but they will. So why not make it safer and make them smarter?

“But Aren’t They Too Young?”

That's a totally fair question and honestly a lot of people think that kids under 16 just aren't ready for the emotional stuff, addictive nature, or social drama of these platforms, and I kind of agree.

Many kids aren’t ready yet. But that's why we need to start teaching them now. "Not ready" doesn't mean "never will be" ... it means they need support, skills, and guidance.

If we wait until they're older without giving them the tools to handle it, we're just delaying their exposure, not preparing them. The answer isn’t to keep them out until they magically mature ... it's to be there with them as they learn.

Let's stop asking if they're ready, and start asking how we can help them get ready.

Stop Blaming the Victims

Another thing that’s been sitting uncomfortably with me is how much of this feels like we’re asking the victims to change, while letting the actual problem slide. It’s like we’re putting the burden on kids to stay offline so they don’t get bullied, instead of dealing with the bullies and trolls head-on. We should be focusing on the behaviour that causes harm - not removing the people who might be harmed. That’s backwards.

And honestly I get so sick and tired of hearing "If you don’t like it, just get offline" ... as if the solution to being treated poorly is simply to disappear. I’ve personally dealt with online abuse, bullying, stalking, and some truly awful messages.

And yet, nothing ever gets done. The responsibility always lands on me to report it, block it, cope with it (and guess what - nothing ever happens because I still get all of the same things happening despite being told to do the right things).

But what about the people doing the harm? Where is the accountability for them? We can’t keep pushing the consequences onto the ones being targeted.

We need to start holding the perpetrators accountable and creating real consequences for harmful behaviour online

What We Actually Need

We need education, not restriction.

We focus so much on shielding kids that we forget to fix the environment we’re shielding them from.

I believe we should be teaching kids how to use social media thoughtfully, not pretending it doesn’t exist.

We need accountability from platforms.

We need schools to be better resourced. We need digital literacy taught as a core subject. We need to build open lines of communication at home.

We need real-world consequences for the people causing the actual harm online ... not just policies that push the responsibility onto the ones being harmed. Until there’s accountability for those who bully, stalk, harass or exploit others online, we’re not solving the real problem

That’s how we prepare kids for the online world … because whether we like it or not, they’re going to enter it.

What Others Are Saying

This topic sparked so many incredible conversations with people in my community, and the opinions were as thoughtful as they were varied.

Some fully support the ban, saying it’s a much-needed line in the sand. Dance teachers, educators, and parents working closely with teens shared stories of disturbing content, relentless bullying, and kids who simply aren’t ready for the emotional and social pressure of social media.

Others shared personal stories - of kids bullied on Messenger Kids, or predators sneaking through platforms like Roblox. There’s real pain here, and it’s valid.

But many also voiced concerns about the ban being a political move ... a way to win votes from anxious parents without investing in the infrastructure that would actually help. They asked: Where’s the funding for mental health? For education? For platform regulation?

One follower compared the ban to trying to keep kids off the road by locking them inside the house. Another worried about what we miss when we ban connection tools entirely = especially for marginalised kids who find hope, information, or even safety through social platforms.

Where Do We Go From Here?

This issue doesn’t have a clear-cut answer. What we do know is this: kids need help navigating the world online. And it’s our job as adults ... not just to shield them, but to walk beside them and show them how.

I want change, it's just that I just don’t believe a blanket ban is how we get it.

Let’s talk to our kids, let’s educate them and let’s hold platforms accountable.

Let’s stop pretending the internet isn’t there and start preparing them to use it well.

What do you think? Whether you agree, disagree, or sit somewhere in the messy middle - I’d love to hear your thoughts.