UK Considers Australian-Style Social Media Ban for Under-16s; Moves to Tighten AI Safety Laws

Last month, the government opened a consultation on whether to impose a social media ban for children under 16. Officials are now examining how to amend current legislation so that any changes could be implemented within months of the consultation’s conclusion, according to Reuters. The move follows similar initiatives in Spain, Greece and Slovenia after Australia became the first country to block social media access for children under 16.

Pressure on technology companies has intensified in recent weeks. Scrutiny increased further after Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok was reported to have generated non-consensual sexualised images, per Reuters, adding urgency to calls for stronger regulation of emerging technologies.

Britain’s 2023 Online Safety Act is regarded as one of the world’s toughest digital safety frameworks. However, it does not currently apply to private, one-to-one interactions with AI chatbots unless content is shared with other users — a regulatory gap that Technology Minister Liz Kendall has said will be addressed, Reuters reported.

Kendall said the government could not afford to leave such gaps in place after nearly eight years of passing and implementing the legislation. “I am concerned about these AI chatbots… as is the prime minister, about the impact that’s having on children and young people,” she told Times Radio. She noted that some children were developing one-to-one relationships with AI systems that were not built with child safety protections in mind.

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The government plans to outline its proposals before June. Speaking to British media on Monday, Kendall said technology companies would bear responsibility for ensuring compliance with British law, per Reuters.

In addition to the proposed social media restrictions and AI reforms, ministers are expected to consult on measures that would automatically preserve online data when a child dies, allowing investigators to secure digital evidence — a policy long advocated by bereaved families, according to Reuters. Other proposals under consideration include limiting so-called “stranger pairing” on gaming consoles and restricting the sending or receiving of nude images.

The measures are expected to be introduced as amendments to existing crime and child-protection legislation currently before parliament.

While the proposals are designed to enhance child safety, they could also have broader implications. Similar rules have previously sparked debate about adult privacy rights and access to online services, and have created friction with the United States over concerns about free speech and regulatory reach, according to Reuters.

Some major pornography websites have already blocked users in Britain rather than implement mandatory age verification systems. However, such restrictions can often be bypassed using widely available virtual private networks. The government is now considering restricting VPN access for minors, per Reuters.

Although many parents and online safety advocates support a ban on social media for children, some child-protection groups have raised concerns. Kendall acknowledged that critics worry a strict ban could drive harmful activity into less regulated areas of the internet or create a sharp “cliff edge” when teenagers turn 16. She added that ministers must still legally define what constitutes social media before any ban could be enforced, according to Reuters.

Source: Reuters