Tuanz backs online safety plans but warns on age ban

The Technology Users Association of New Zealand has backed the Government's online safety plans while urging a collaborative approach to the proposed law. It said tougher platform accountability should be matched by close scrutiny of how any age-based restrictions would work.

The industry body supports measures aimed at reducing online harm for young people, including financial penalties of up to 10 per cent of a platform's global annual revenue and a requirement for annual child safety risk assessments. It described those steps as shifting responsibility from families to the platforms that run the services.

At the same time, the group raised concerns about the technical practicality, privacy implications and social equity of a broad age ban. Its intervention places it among organisations that support stronger online protections in principle but question whether blunt restrictions can be enforced fairly and effectively.

The proposed penalties would expose large technology platforms to sanctions tied to worldwide turnover if they fail to meet child safety obligations. Annual risk assessments would require companies to examine and report on threats faced by younger users, creating a recurring compliance duty rather than a one-off test.

Privacy questions

A central concern for the association is how age checks would be carried out. It asked how the Government would ensure large-scale biometric or identity verification systems do not create new cyber risks for the public, an issue that has drawn attention in other debates over age-assurance technology.

That question goes to the heart of a wider policy dilemma. Measures designed to keep children away from harmful content can require the collection of sensitive personal information, leaving policymakers to balance child protection with data security and privacy safeguards.

The body also pointed to the ease with which young users may bypass restrictions. Citing Australia as an example, it asked how New Zealand could avoid a situation in which banned users simply route around controls, especially if virtual private networks remain outside the rules.

If circumvention becomes routine, enforcement could become uneven, with some users excluded while others continue to gain access. That risk could weaken the impact of any ban and raise questions about whether the burden falls most heavily on households with fewer digital workarounds.

Support networks

The association also raised concerns about the effect on vulnerable young people who rely on online communities for support. It warned that rural, disabled, Māori, Pacific and Rainbow youth could face isolation if access to digital spaces is cut off without workable alternatives.

For many young users, social platforms are not only entertainment channels but also places to find peers, advice and community. Restrictions that do not distinguish between harmful activity and legitimate support networks may therefore create unintended consequences for those already at greater risk of exclusion.

The association also questioned why age restrictions appear to be taking precedence over digital literacy in schools. It argued that resilience and critical online skills should be treated as a core part of the national curriculum, rather than relying mainly on access controls to manage harm.

That position reflects a broader view in technology policy that user education and platform obligations should operate together. In that model, services face tougher duties to design safer systems, while children and families receive better tools to navigate risks online.

Craig Young, Chief Executive Officer of TUANZ, set out the group's preferred approach in a statement.

"We must move toward a 'Security by Design' philosophy where trust is earned because safety is an inherent, built-in feature of digital services, not an optional extra," Young said.

The association's comments also touched on oversight. It asked what resources and tools the Secretary for Internal Affairs would be given to audit and enforce algorithmic transparency requirements against large global technology companies.

Enforcement has become a recurring challenge in digital regulation, particularly when national regulators confront businesses with far greater technical and financial resources. Even where legislation imposes sharp penalties, regulators often need specialist expertise, access to data and sustained funding to test whether platforms are meeting their obligations.

Young said the organisation agrees with the aim of reducing harm but wants wider consultation on how the policy is put into effect.

"We share the Government's objective of reducing harm experienced by young people online. The opportunity now is to work together on solutions that improve safety while also protecting privacy, maintaining access to legitimate support networks, and ensuring measures can be implemented effectively," he said.

The association said further discussion was needed among ministers, technology experts, educators, industry and community groups before the legislation moves ahead. That would allow questions over privacy, enforceability and social impact to be tested before rules are finalised.

Young framed that process as a joint effort across the public and private sectors.

"Creating a safer online environment for young New Zealanders will require Government, industry, educators, families and technology platforms to work together," he said.

"We welcome the opportunity to participate constructively in the select committee process and contribute practical expertise to help develop a framework that improves safety, protects privacy, supports vulnerable young people and earns the confidence of New Zealanders," he said.