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The Children's Commissioner is calling for young people's voices to be heard in discussions around banning social media for those aged under 16.
Dr Claire Achmad believes mokopuna should have the right to have a say in decisions affecting their lives and highlights their views in a new report.
Education Minister Erica Stanford recently promised an update on the government's plans for a social media ban for under-16s, due sometime this month.
Stanford told RNZ papers for her wider programme of work on countering the harms of social media were going through Cabinet, and she still aimed to introduce some legislation this year.
While they had varying views on the outright ban, the children featured in the commissioner's report overwhelmingly agreed that more must be done to prevent online harm and protect children and young people in the digital world.
Achmad said the mokopuna agreed more needed to be done to censor content and hold tech companies and social media platforms to account, rather than shift the issue onto children through restrictions.
"Children and young people are experts in their own lives, and they have a right to be involved in decisions that affect them. The online world is a core part of their everyday reality, and they understand both the risks and the benefits in ways adults often don't.
"Their views reflect the complexity of the issue - with different experiences and opinions, and a range of important ideas about the solutions to prevent online harm."
Other suggestions highlighted in the report included ensuring safety-by-design, stronger and enforced regulatory measures, and digital literacy education for children and adults.
"Mokopuna are clear that online harm is real and impacts their wellbeing. They want adults - including decision-makers, the tech sector, social media platforms, families, whānau, and communities - to do more to keep them safe, and they want solutions that reflect their lived realities.
"This report directly presents mokopuna voices on this topic. They have thoughtful, practical ideas to balance safety with participation in online spaces. They value the positive aspects of being online, such as connection, learning, business opportunities and self-expression, while recognising the risks."
Achmad hoped the government would work to actively listen to and involve young people in conversations around the ban, and ensure their views are accounted for in any decision-making.
This story was first published on rnz.co.nz |  |