19:24Machine-translated from Azerbaijani by AIRead in Azerbaijani
New Zealand moves to ban social media for children under 16
The New Zealand government has introduced a new bill in parliament that would ban children under 16 from using social media platforms. Announced by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, the initiative could cover AI-powered virtual companion services as well as platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. The main goal of the bill, called the “Online Safety (Minimum Age and Child Safety Risk Assessment) Bill,” is to improve children's online safety and strengthen technology companies' responsibility in this area.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that while parents have a role in monitoring which social networks children use, social media companies must also bear responsibility. According to him, the safety measures used to protect children in the real world should also exist in the virtual environment. Under the new rules, social media platforms deemed high-risk would have to take “reasonable steps” to determine users' ages. This could involve the use of age-estimation technologies and digital identity verification services. The government has identified Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook as high-risk platforms. AI-powered virtual companions that children can communicate with are also expected to be covered by the law.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said that while parents have a role in monitoring which social networks children use, social media companies must also bear responsibility. According to him, the safety measures used to protect children in the real world should also exist in the virtual environment. Under the new rules, social media platforms deemed high-risk would have to take “reasonable steps” to determine users' ages. This could involve the use of age-estimation technologies and digital identity verification services. The government has identified Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat and Facebook as high-risk platforms. AI-powered virtual companions that children can communicate with are also expected to be covered by the law.