Russell Palmer of RNZ

Legislation aiming to ban under-16s from social media is on hold, the government has confirmed.

Parliament debated the matter yesterday after a select committee inquiry into the harms online platforms cause.

Labour agreed to support National's proposal for a ban - while the Greens and ACT were opposed to the idea, saying it would be too easy to get around the rules, that at-risk groups could become more isolated as a result, and that social media harms more than just young people.

National MP Catherine Wedd's bill - which would impose the under-16s ban in line with Australia's - was drawn from the biscuit-tin ballot in October, having been lodged in May last year.

When RNZ sought an update on how the committee's findings would affect the legislation, Education Minister Erica Stanford - who had been tasked with reviewing legislation to reduce those harms - said it was on hold.

"The government is undertaking a wider programme of work in this area and Wedd's bill is on hold for the…