Psychology Media

paternalist conservatism

approach to running the country in which members of the elite seek to govern in the best interests of people

libertarianism

the upholding of liberty, seeking to maximise autonomy and free choice, mainly in the economy

when was members bill put forward

May 2025

when was the members bill changed to a government bill

August 2026

who put forward the bill originally

MP Catherine Wedd

what does government data show

1 in 3 children aged 13-17 are spending at least 5 hours on social media a day

what other things will the bill do

AI companion platforms under regulatory system, establish online safety regulator inside the Department of Internal Affairs to monitor and enforce the law

more than…

 more than 60% of teens say that social media is impacting their mental health

why are critics concerned

personal privacy being invaded and the risk of isolating young people from online help networks

what would platforms failing to comply be fined

(maximum pecuniary penalties) of the greater of NZD $40 million or 10% of the operator's global turnover

‘exposure to… ‘ CL

‘exposure to harmful content, addictive technology and pressures not equipped to deal with’

why does Luxon believe platforms should have responsibility

because they should understand and reduce the risks create for children

what is the u16 social media ban

legislative push announced by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon's government in August 2026 to restrict children under 16 from holding social media accounts

company obligations

platforms must take "reasonable steps" to verify users are over 16 using facial age estimation, digital IDs, or existing account data

data security risks

Critics and groups like UNICEF New Zealand warn this increases privacy risks and data harvesting for all users

what does NZ say

RNZ asked NZ if we should ban social media- over 58% of respondents supported the proposed restriction, less than a third opposed, rest don’t know

what did Luxon declare

NZ issue

tradition

refers to the beliefs, customs, values, knowledge and practices that are passed down from one generation to the next and help preserve cultural identity over time

innovation

a new or improved product or process that differs significantly from previous products or processes and has been made available for use

ideology

set of ideas, beliefs and attitudes, conscious or unconsciously held, which reflects/ shapes understanding or misconceptions of the social and political world

positives/ effectiveness for acts response

evidence based policy making, protection of privacy and rights, empowerment of parents and communities

negatives of acts response

delayed protection for children, burden on parents, letting platforms off the hook, risk of weak outcomes

how does national’s response reflect traditionality

protecting children, moral responsibility, government protecting, family values

how does national’s response reflect innovation

AI age verification, platform regulation, digital ID services

how does act’s response reflect traditionality

individual freedom, parental responsibility, privacy and individual rights

how does act’s response reflect innovation

evidence based alternatives, digital literacy and education, learning from australia

what could happen to 16 year olds after gaining access

not prepared for the wider internet access

negatives of act’s response

delayed protection for children, burden on parents, letting platforms off the hook

positives of national’s response

awareness, helps future generations, groups of people feel supported, improve MH in children, responds to public and expert concers

negatives of national’s response

breach of privacy, infringement on autonomy, loopholes, could push kids into darker areas, under-preparing teens, enforceability concerns

‘we simply…’

“We simply cannot accept the harm being done to a generation of New Zealand children.” CL

‘we have…’

“We have protections to keep children safe in the real world and we need them in the virtual world too.” CL

‘the ban…’ DS

“The ban they propose won’t work, and the side effects will leave us worse off.” DS

‘we would be…’

“We would be better to learn from the Aussies’ mistakes than make the same mistakes at the same time as them.”

‘requiring…’

“Requiring all social media users to provide government identification to social media companies would raise privacy issues.”

‘the bill…’

“The bill places legal obligations on platforms. No penalties are proposed for children, their parents or caregivers.” (ES)

what did ACT order in response

parliamentary select committee inquiry (in depth investigation)

‘other…’

‘other jurisdictions have moved towards bans, but there is no success story. The implementation is proving tricky’ ACT

to what extent does National’s response to the issue reflect paternalistic conservatism?

significantly- protecting children and state intervention

to what extent does ACT’s response to the issue reflect libertarianism?

significantly- personal autonomy/ responsibility, limited government intervention

how does National’s response create tension with their core values?

National claims to have individual freedom and personal responsibility

how does ACT’s response create tension with their core values?

limited govt. intervention and personal responsibility- does not contradict

UNICEF

argues that a blanket restriction fails to fix underlying issues and creates new risks for young people