Act Party Proposes Smartphone Ban for Teens | Auckland News

Auckland News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 15, 2026 · 1m

David Seymour, leader of the Act Party, is pushing for a radical new policy: a complete ban on smartphones for anyone under sixteen. He argues that these devices are directly fueling rising mental health crises among teens, including anxiety, depression, and self-harm. Rather than trying to regulate ever-changing social media apps, Seymour wants to tackle the problem at its source—by outlawing smartphones and replacing them with simple “dumb phones” that lack addictive features. He draws parallels to existing laws on tobacco and alcohol, seeing smartphones as a tangible product that deserves…