The government is set to announce new plans to crack down on online platforms in a bid to keep children safe.
Shortly after Labour successfully pushed X to limit AI bot Grok’s powers to post non-consensual, intimate images of people, prime minister Keir Starmer on Monday will unveil his strategy to help younger generations navigate the internet.
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The government plans to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act, or risk breaking the law, with an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill.
Ministers will also be able to implement changes to legislation on social media quickly with new powers in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, if supported by MPs.
That could include setting a minimum age limit for social media and restricting features like infinite scrolling.
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Any such changes to the law will be based on the outcomes in the government’s digital wellbeing consultation, which will launch in March, with parents, young people and civil society groups.
Ministers will consult on how best to ensure tech companies can safeguard children from sending or receiving nude images, and confront the full range of risks they might face online.
The government will also look at how to preserve vital data online if linked to a child’s death.
Starmer pledged: “Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up. With my government, Britain will be a leader not a follower when it comes to online safety.
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“The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass.
“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action.
“We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”
Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “We will not wait to take the action families need, so we will tighten the rules on AI chatbots and we are laying the ground so we can act at pace on the results of the consultation on young people and social media.
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“We are determined to give children the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future at time of rapid technological change.”
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched the “You Won’t Know Until You Ask” campaign, too.
This will offer practical guidance on safety settings and conversation prompts to use with children to discuss the subject matter.
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Tory shadow education secretary Laura Trott described the announcement as “more smoke and mirrors from a government that has chosen inaction when it comes to stopping under-16s accessing social media”.
“Claiming they are taking ‘immediate action’ is simply not credible when their so-called urgent consultation does not even exist,” Trott said.
“Labour have repeatedly said they do not have a view on whether under-16s should be prevented from accessing social media. That is not good enough. I am clear that we should stop under-16s accessing these platforms.
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“The evidence of harm is clear and parents, teachers and children themselves have made their voices heard. Britain is lagging behind while other countries have recognised the risks and begun to act.”
She added: “Dressing this up as progress while refusing to grasp the central issue risks becoming a Trojan horse for further delay.”
The Lib Dems’ spokesperson for education Munira Wilson said this was proof the government was still “kicking the can down the road”.
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She said: “There is no time to waste, but the government continues to kick the can down the road. We need a much clearer, firm timeline for when they will take action.
“Parliament deserves a real say and the chance to properly scrutinise the Government’s plans. Instead, the prime minister is desperate to buy himself time with his MPs with an approach that will limit oversight now and in the future.
“Time for a concrete plan by working with us on future-proof protections.”
