Social media restrictions: I'm 'standing up for kids' against 'insidious' tech, Stanford says

Author: Jamie Ensor,
Publish Date: Tue, 21 Jul 2026, 4:28pm

National's Erica Stanford is in charge of the work on social media regulations. Photo / Mark Mitchell

National’s Erica Stanford says she’s “standing up for our kids” against “insidious” tech interests, before finally proposing her social media regulations.

But she’s admitted she doesn’t know what will happen in the Cabinet room when she puts her proposal forward.

Stanford, the Education Minister, said age-related restrictions were “too important” for her not to try to progress to legislation.

“I’m willing to deal with any party who is going to put our kids ahead of party politics, and I’ll talk to anyone who wants to talk to me about that, including Labour.”

She said, “tech interests are insidious and they’re everywhere”.

“They have got bottomless pits of money and I’m here standing up for our kids. I will go to anyone who’s willing to support me on this because this is what parents want.

“They need the tools to be able to protect their kids from the harmful algorithms that they’re just defenceless against.”

Stanford said today she had a proposal ready to take to Cabinet, but she couldn’t say whether she’d be able to get it through that process.

National had a Member's Bill on social media, but is now focused on its Government work. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Both of National’s coalition partners, Act and NZ First, say they don’t support a social media ban for New Zealanders aged under 16.

That has raised the question of how National may progress any regulations as a Government bill.

“I will be talking to my coalition partners when we take it to Cabinet,” Stanford said.

She said she was aware of comments from the likes of Winston Peters at his party conference over the weekend, where he said NZ First didn’t support a ban, but “what he will do at Cabinet, I don’t know yet”.

Asked by the Herald how unusual it was to be taking a policy to Cabinet without knowing what the result would be, Stanford said the coalition parties had “different views on a number of things”.

“We’ve been through this in the past and we work well together, but occasionally, there are times when we don’t all agree and we have a very respectful conversation and agree to disagree on some things, but I’m not going to presuppose what will happen in Cabinet, because I don’t know yet.”

Stanford has previously confirmed she has sought Labour’s help to try to pass her potential ban.

“I have met with Labour MPs on a number of occasions alongside my officials. If ever there was an issue to set aside politics, it’s this one,” Stanford said.

“I have been willing to speak to any party that shares our goal to back parents and protect children from the harms of big tech.”

Labour’s Chris Hipkins said his MPs had been speaking to Stanford about the issue.

It was difficult to make a call on whether the party would support the proposal until Labour knew “exactly what it is that they’re going to propose”.

Jamie Ensor is the NZ Herald’s chief political reporter, based in the press gallery at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub press gallery office. He was a finalist in 2025 for Political Journalist of the Year at the Voyager Media Awards.