On 15 July 2026, ACT leader David Seymour suggested Parliament could ban the sale, supply and possession of smartphones to under-16s, allowing only basic "dumb phones" that cannot run social media apps. He put it forward as an alternative to the social media ban the Government has been considering, arguing it would be simpler to enforce because it targets the device rather than trying to police online platforms. Seymour stressed he was not launching a policy, telling a business audience he was not sure a ban was even a good idea.

Where the parties sit

The Government has been examining an age restriction on social media accounts for under-16s, similar to laws passed in Australia and the United Kingdom. ACT has been cool on that route, with Seymour arguing platform bans are hard to define, hard to enforce and raise privacy questions. Those who back tighter rules point to rising anxiety and self-harm among young people in the smartphone era. Critics of any ban question how it would work in practice and warn it could push children and families toward age-verification or digital ID systems.