Basic rules for big tech. More choice for you. Better protection for our kids.
- No social media accounts for under-16s. Social media companies will be legally responsible for preventing under-16s from having accounts
- Children's privacy protected. Age checks will need appropriate safeguards for personal information
- Legislation within the first 100 days. First reading and select committee within Labour's first 100 days
- A better feed for everyone aged 16 and over. Companies must ask new and existing users how they want their feed to work: personalised recommendations, or only posts from people and accounts you follow, with the option to switch back any time
- A new Digital Duty of Care. Basic legal responsibilities on companies that run online services, with stronger protections for under-18s
- Action on deepfake abuse. Stronger protections against non-consensual sexual images, and powers to take down harmful 'nudify' apps and sites
- An independent digital regulator with powers to enforce safety standards, investigate harmful practices and take action against companies that break the rules
Social media is part of everyday life. It helps us stay connected, share ideas and keep in touch with the people we care about.
But the big technology companies have too much power over what we see and how their platforms work. Their algorithms are designed to keep us scrolling.
At the same time, scams are becoming more sophisticated, fake images and videos are harder to spot, and a lot of parents are worried about what their children are seeing.
You might feel perfectly safe online. But think about someone in your life who might not. A child being bullied, a teenager exposed to harmful content, or an older relative targeted by scammers.
We shouldn't leave people and families to deal with these problems on their own. The companies making money from these platforms should follow some basic rules to keep people safe.
Labour will put basic rules in place for big technology companies, give people more control over their online experience, and strengthen protections against harm.
No social media for under-16s
Smartphones and social media are one of the parenting challenges of our time. When all their friends are online, saying "not yet" to your kids can be hard.
Source: Public Health Communication Centre Aotearoa.
We set rules to protect children in the physical world. The online world should be no different.
Labour will:
- Ban social media accounts for under-16s. Social media companies will be legally responsible for preventing under-16s from having accounts.
- Protect children's privacy. Age checks will need appropriate safeguards for personal information.
- Take action immediately. We will ensure the legislation has its first reading and goes to select committee within our first 100 days.
Labour is also taking action to help parents get kids off screens by backing more sport and play, setting clearer rules on screen use in schools, and making online-safety tools more accessible.
A better feed for everyone
When you open social media, algorithms decide what appears in your feed. They're designed to keep you scrolling because the longer you stay, the more money the platforms make.
You might like the recommended content. That's fine. But you should also have the choice to see something different.
Labour will give people more choice over how their social media feeds work. Social media companies will have to ask all new and existing users aged 16 and over how they want their feed to work.
You can choose to keep the personalised recommendations, or switch to seeing only posts from people and accounts you follow. And if you change your mind, you can switch back whenever you want.
The algorithms are designed around what makes the platforms money. We want to give you a choice about what works for you.
Basic rules to keep people safe online
Banning social media for under-16s is an important step, but it won't solve everything.
Children can still face bullying or come across harmful content on games, apps and AI chatbots. Scammers can use AI to create convincing fake images and videos. And people can have intimate images created or shared without their consent.
At the moment, too much responsibility falls on individuals to protect themselves or deal with the consequences when something goes wrong.
Labour will introduce a new Digital Duty of Care, putting basic legal responsibilities on the companies that run online services. That means:
- Safer platforms for young people. Stronger protections for under-18s against harmful content, bullying and design features that encourage excessive use or damage self-esteem.
- Reducing harm from AI. Stronger protections against deepfake abuse, including non-consensual sexual images, and powers to take down harmful 'nudify' apps and sites.
- Clear responsibilities for companies. Platforms will have to identify risks, show what they are doing to keep people safe and take action when things go wrong.
The aim is to prevent harm in the first place, rather than leaving people to deal with the consequences.
Making sure the rules are followed
Labour will establish an independent digital regulator to oversee online platforms and make sure they meet their responsibilities.
The watchdog will have powers to enforce safety standards, investigate harmful practices and take action against companies that break the rules.
This builds on the commitment in Labour's AI Action Plan to strengthen protections against online scams, deepfakes and abuse.
What is Labour's Safer Online policy?
Safer Online is Labour's plan to put basic rules in place for big technology companies, give people more control over their online experience, and strengthen protections against harm. It includes:
- Banning social media accounts for under-16s
- Giving users a choice over how their feed works
- A new Digital Duty of Care on companies that run online services
- An independent digital regulator to enforce the rules
Why is Labour doing this?
Big technology companies have too much power over what we see and how their platforms work, and that their algorithms are designed to keep us scrolling.
At the same time, scams are becoming more sophisticated, fake images and videos are harder to spot, and many parents are worried about what their children are seeing.
We believe families shouldn't be left to deal with these problems on their own, and that the companies making money from these platforms should follow some basic rules to keep people safe.
How will the under-16s social media ban work?
Social media companies will be legally responsible for preventing under-16s from having accounts. Age checks will need appropriate safeguards for personal information, to protect children's privacy.
When will the legislation be introduced?
Labour will ensure the legislation has its first reading and goes to select committee within its first 100 days in office.
How will the "better feed" choice work?
Social media companies will have to ask all new and existing users aged 16 and over how they want their feed to work. You can choose to keep the personalised recommendations, or switch to seeing only posts from people and accounts you follow, and you can switch back whenever you want.
What is the Digital Duty of Care?
The Digital Duty of Care is a new set of basic legal responsibilities on the companies that run online services. The aim is to prevent harm in the first place, rather than leaving people to deal with the consequences. Platforms will have to identify risks, show what they are doing to keep people safe, and take action when things go wrong.
What protections will there be for young people online?
The Digital Duty of Care will bring stronger protections for under-18s against harmful content, bullying, and design features that encourage excessive use or damage self-esteem.
How will Labour tackle deepfakes and 'nudify' apps?
Labour will introduce stronger protections against deepfake abuse, including non-consensual sexual images, and powers to take down harmful 'nudify' apps and sites. This builds on the commitment in Labour's AI Action Plan to strengthen protections against online scams, deepfakes and abuse.
Does the ban cover games, apps and AI chatbots?
The ban applies to social media accounts, however, Labour is also introducing a Digital Duty of Care, putting basic legal responsibilities on the companies that run games, apps and AI chatbot services.
Who will enforce the rules?
Labour will establish an independent digital regulator to oversee online platforms and make sure they meet their responsibilities. The regulator will have powers to enforce safety standards, investigate harmful practices and take action against companies that break the rules.
We want an internet where people can connect, learn and enjoy themselves, with more choice over what they see and better protection when things go wrong.
Social media should work for you. Not the other way around.
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