A new poll has found increasing support for a ban on social media for children under 16, and decreasing opposition.

In a poll by Curia Market Research and commissioned by Family First NZ, 1,000 respondents were asked: Would you support or oppose a law that bans children from all social media until they reach 16 years of age?

56% of respondents support banning children under 16 from social media, and 26% are opposed.

A similar poll with the same wording by the same research company in April 2024 found opposition at 45% and support at just 39%.

Support for a social media ban has grown from 39% support to 56% support in just over 12 months. Opposition has dropped form 45% to 26%. In both polls, 16-18% are uncertain.

Those with dependent children were more likely to support the ban (62%) than those without dependent children (53%).

Interestingly, when comparing the two polls, net support for a ban has risen amongst National, Labour and Green voters.

Family First has long advocated for better regulation of social media and support for parents so as to protect young people.

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“First and foremost, there needs to be a community response where parents unite to ensure their young children are not exposed to social media, but there is also room for government support to empower parents,” says Mr McCoskrie.

Dr Jonathan Haidt - author of “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” - notes in his acclaimed research that there is a clear correlation between the introduction of smart phones and a significant decline in young people’s mental health. (Dr Haidt was a guest at last year’s Forum on the Family and he called on New Zealand and other countries to do more to protect young people from the harms online.)

“This is an important discussion which should not be delayed any further.”

The nationwide poll was carried out between 19 May and 21 May and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1%.

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