- PM announces new powers to act within months to keep children safe amid rapid technology changes
- New action will ensure no platform gets a free pass – as government today will close loopholes that put children at risk, and lays the groundwork for further, faster action
- PM leads new crackdown on AI chatbots to protect people from illegal content
The Government will give parents and carers greater clarity and support as the Prime Minister announces immediate action to make the online world safer for children.
Speaking to parents and young people later today [Monday 16 February], the Prime Minister will make clear this government will act at pace to keep kids safe online as they navigate a digital world that did not exist a generation ago, and one that is shaped by powerful platforms, addictive design and fast-moving technologies.
The new measures announced today include crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI. The government will move fast to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law. This will ensure the Act keeps up with rapidly evolving harms.
This follows government action to call out abhorrent non-consensual intimate images being shared on Grok, which subsequently led to the function being removed.
The Prime Minister will also make clear today that his government is taking new legal powers to lay the groundwork for immediate action following its consultation on children’s wellbeing online. The Government is committed to following the evidence, and these powers will mean we can act fast on its findings within months, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation every time technology evolves.
That means being able to act quickly on measures like setting a minimum age limit for social media and restricting features like infinite scrolling that are harmful, in line with the consultation. The law is crystal clear the distribution of nude images of children is already illegal. But the government will also consult on how best to ensure tech companies can safeguard children from sending or receiving such images in the first place.
The consultation will also confront the full range of risks children face online. This includes examining restrictions on children’s use of AI chatbots, as well as options to age restrict or limit children’s VPN use where it undermines safety protections and changing the age of digital consent. We will also strengthen protections for families facing the most devastating circumstances, by ensuring that vital data following a child’s death is preserved before it can be deleted, except in cases where online activity is clearly not relevant to the death.
This marks a clear shift in how the UK approaches child online safety, meaning the UK can continue to be a world leader in keeping children safe online.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said
“As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online.
“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.
“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
“I know that parents across the country want us to act urgently to keep their children safe online. That’s why I stood up to Grok and Elon Musk when they flouted British laws and British values.
“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.
“We are determined to give children the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future at time of rapid technological change.”
The children’s digital wellbeing consultation will launch next month and will be guided by what parents and children say they need now, not in several years’ time.
Ministers are already engaging with parents, young people and civil society groups, and the message has been consistent and clear that parents want support and fast.
To help parents immediately, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched the ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ campaign. It offers practical guidance on safety settings, conversation prompts parents can use with their children, and age‑appropriate advice on dealing with harmful content, including misogynistic material and ragebait.
Chris Sherwood, NSPCC CEO, said
“We welcome the Prime Minister’s promise to act quickly and decisively to hold tech companies to account and make the online world safer for children. The status quo can’t continue, and without real change the pressure for an under‑16 social media ban will only increase.
“Much of what is being proposed mirrors what we have been pressing for proper age‑limit enforcement, an end to addictive design, and stronger action from platforms, devices, and AI tools to stop harmful content at the source. Delivered swiftly, these measures would offer far better protection than a blanket ban.
“We also strongly support putting children’s voices at the centre of this debate. They understand both the benefits and risks of being online and – after their insights have been overlooked in discussions so far – their experiences must now help guide the decisions made in the months ahead.
“We need urgent action and an ambitious agenda if the Government is going to take on tech bosses and make a difference for children and young people.”
Andy Burrows, Chief Executive of Molly Rose Foundation, said
“Parents are right to demand urgent action on online safety, and we strongly welcome the Government’s ambition to move quickly and decisively to tackle appalling and preventable harm.
“This announcement should reassure parents that change is on the way. It means that children and families could see much needed safety improvements within months, including action against high-risk AI Chatbots and new measures to prevent girls from being coerced into sending nude photos.
“This a welcome downpayment but the Prime Minister must now go further. Sir Keir Starmer should commit to a new Online Safety Act that strengthens regulation and that makes clear that product safety and children’s wellbeing is the cost of doing business in the UK.”
Notes to editors
