24 August 2026
Te Kāhui Mātai Arotamariki o Aotearoa | The Paediatric Society of New Zealand has released a new position statement today on the impact of social media and digital harm on young people.
Building on our 2025 submission to Parliament's inquiry into online harms, the statement draws together the latest research, international developments, and the voices of young New Zealanders themselves. It sets out the evidence linking social media use to rising rates of depression, anxiety, and self-harm among young people, and highlights how algorithmic design, harmful content, and emerging risks like AI companion apps are shaping childhood in ways we're only beginning to understand. It also points to the disproportionate harm experienced by Māori, Pacific, rainbow, disabled, and neurodiverse young people, and the need for any response to protect connection and community alongside safety.
Rather than presenting a single fix, PSNZ is calling for a system-wide response, including an age-16 threshold for social media platforms with known harmful features, an age-18 threshold for AI companions, mandatory platform accountability legislation, an independent eSafety Commissioner, and investment in safe digital alternatives and culturally responsive digital literacy support. Throughout, the statement is clear that responsibility must sit with platforms and government, not with children or whānau.
The full position statement is attached below.