The Government wants under-16's banned from social media - but any law change is many months away. 

Prime Minister Chris Luxon announced the move yesterday - which will require platforms to verify age via face scanning or either digital or physical IDs.

It's not clear if the bill will have enough support - with Act and New Zealand First agreeing to disagree, and Labour yet to fully back it.  

Labour's Spokesperson for technology and media Reuben Davidson tells Ryan Bridge what it will take for the party to support the bill. 

The Government wants under-16's banned from social media - but any law change is many months away.&nbsp;
Prime Minister Chris Luxon announced the move yesterday - which will require platforms to verify age via face scanning or either digital or physical IDs.
It's not clear if the bill will have enough support - with Act and New Zealand First agreeing to disagree, and Labour yet to fully back it. &nbsp;
Labour's Spokesperson for technology and media Reuben Davidson tells Ryan Bridge what it will take for the party to support the bill.&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Reuben Davidson: Labour's Spokesperson for technology and media on the under-16's social media ban

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7cf1ed83-4b5a-4e42-af69-b4b001320a65/transcript

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 25 August.

Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast for Tuesday 25 August. 
Get the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast every weekday morning on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Full Show Podcast: 25 August 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6e48edce-e5b1-4cd8-9e44-b4b0012ac1e2/transcript

Labour's fallen into a cunning wee trap set by Nicola Willis a few weeks ago. 

She laid the bait - releasing 'fiscal rules' her party would abide by if re-elected - and challenged Labour to do the same. 

On the weekend, they took the bait and released their own 'fiscal strategy'. 

Which is different form their 'fiscal plan'. More on that in a second. 

The problem for Labour is that its strategy reveals that it wants to do exactly the things National has been saying they want to do. 

Tax, borrow and spend more. 

There's a gap between what they say they're willing to spend and what they have announced they'll tax. 

There are billions of dollars they want to spend that they haven't yet explained how they'll tax. 

Rental interest deductibility, which they'll announce soon, won't cover the shortfall. 

Which plays into National's attacks. And the entire basis of their campaign. Which is that you can't trust Labour not to tax the bejsus out of you and leave you broke.

In an election campaign, unanswered questions, the void, is filled with noise. 

To be in control of a campaign, you want to be making the noise and not have others make it for you. 

And to make matters worse, Labour says they won't release their fiscal plan,which is more detailed and fills in the blanks, till the PREFU. Which is a month away. 

Until they front with some answers, you can't help but look at this as a successful election bait, set, trap from Nicola Willis.

Labour's fallen into a cunning wee trap set by Nicola Willis a few weeks ago.&nbsp;
She laid the bait - releasing 'fiscal rules' her party would abide by if re-elected - and challenged Labour to do the same.&nbsp;
On the weekend, they took the bait and released their own 'fiscal strategy'.&nbsp;
Which is different form their 'fiscal plan'. More on that in a second.&nbsp;
The problem for Labour is that its strategy reveals that it wants to do exactly the things National has been saying they want to do.&nbsp;
Tax, borrow and spend more.&nbsp;
There's a gap between what they say they're willing to spend and what they have announced they'll tax.&nbsp;
There are billions of dollars they want to spend that they haven't yet explained how they'll tax.&nbsp;
Rental interest deductibility, which they'll announce soon, won't cover the shortfall.&nbsp;
Which plays into National's attacks. And the entire basis of their campaign. Which is that you can't trust Labour not to tax the bejsus out of you and leave you broke.
In an election campaign, unanswered questions, the void, is filled with noise.&nbsp;
To be in control of a campaign, you want to be making the noise and not have others make it for you.&nbsp;
And to make matters worse, Labour says they won't release their fiscal plan,which is more detailed and fills in the blanks, till the PREFU. Which is a month away.&nbsp;
Until they front with some answers, you can't help but look at this as a successful election bait, set, trap from Nicola Willis.

Ryan Bridge: Labour's fallen for Nicola's election trap

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/d279f5fb-13fb-45bf-b25c-b4b0012a11d7/transcript

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 25th of August 2026, National’s pushing ahead with a social media ban for under-16s, Labour Spokesperson for Technology and Media Reuben Davidson, tells Ryan what it will take for Labour to support the bill.

Q2’s retail numbers show the Iran war is starting to hit the hip pocket, ASB senior economist Jane Turner shares her thoughts.

One in four nursing shifts was understaffed in 2025, Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Malcolm Mulholland shares his concerns for patient safety. 

Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on multiple arrests as a corruption probe in the Victorian construction industry continues and a man accused of delivering more than a million dollars' worth of drugs to a prison.

Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.          

LISTEN ABOVE  

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday the 25th of August 2026, National’s pushing ahead with a social media ban for under-16s, Labour Spokesperson for Technology and Media Reuben Davidson, tells Ryan what it will take for Labour to support the bill.
Q2’s retail numbers show the Iran war is starting to hit the hip pocket, ASB senior economist Jane Turner shares her thoughts.
One in four nursing shifts was understaffed in 2025, Patient Voice Aotearoa Chair Malcolm Mulholland shares his concerns for patient safety.&nbsp;
Plus, Australia Correspondent Donna Demaio has the latest on multiple arrests as a corruption probe in the Victorian construction industry continues and a man accused of delivering more than a million dollars' worth of drugs to a prison.
Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 24 August 2026

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c6fe15b4-a502-464c-b511-b4b0003e91fe/transcript

Reuben Davidson: Labour's Spokesperson for technology and media on the under-16's social media ban

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