Britain could introduce an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16 as early as this year and move to close a loophole that left certain artificial intelligence chatbots outside existing safety rules.
The government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer last month opened a consultation on prohibiting social media access for those under-16s. Ministers are now preparing legislative changes so that any decision may take effect within months of the consultation’s conclusion.
Spain, Greece and Slovenia are also examining similar measures after Australia became the first country to block access to social media for under-16s. Scrutiny intensified after Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, was found generating non-consensual sexualised images.
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Britain’s Online Safety Act of 2023 stands among the strictest regulatory regimes in the world. However, it does not extend to one-to-one interactions with AI chatbots unless content is shared with other users. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said this gap would be addressed.
She said Britain could not permit regulatory shortcomings to endure after nearly eight years were required for the Act to pass and enter into force.
“I am concerned about these AI chatbots, as is the Prime Minister, and the impact on children and young people,” Ms Kendall told Times Radio. She noted that some children were forming one-to-one relationships with AI systems that had not been designed with child protection in mind.
The government intends to publish its proposals before June. Ms Kendall said technology companies would bear responsibility for ensuring compliance with British law.
Ministers will also consult on proposals for automatic data-preservation orders in cases where a child dies, enabling investigators to secure vital online evidence. Bereaved families have long pressed for such powers. The consultation will further examine restrictions on “stranger pairing” in online gaming and measures to prevent the sending or receipt of indecent images.
The proposals will be tabled as amendments to existing crime and child-protection legislation before Parliament.
Although framed as measures to safeguard children, such steps may carry implications for adult privacy and access to online services. They have also prompted friction with the United States regarding free speech and regulatory limits.
Several major pornography websites have already blocked users in Britain rather than introduce age verification. Such restrictions may, however, be bypassed through virtual private networks, which ministers are considering limiting for minors.
While many parents and safety campaigners favour a ban, Ms Kendall said certain child-protection groups fear it could displace harmful activity into less regulated areas or create a sharp threshold at the age of 16. She added that a legal definition of social media remains necessary before any prohibition can be enforced.
