Banning youth from social media is a reactionary illusion of protection that ignores reality. Implementation would shatter online privacy, forcing citizens to surrender government ID for basic communication. This shortsighted solution treats correlation as causation while neglecting actual evidence, parental empowerment, and digital literacy development — the true foundations for navigating our inevitably digital world.
Protecting children from social media isn't just sensible — it's essential. While algorithms exploit developing brains with harmful content, this new bold policy shift in New Zealand would empower parents, reset societal norms, and prioritize prevention over inadequate harm reduction. The country has the opportunity to stand alongside Australia in safeguarding our youth's mental wellbeing and reclaiming their childhood.