BBC News

Starmer pledges crackdown on 'addictive elements' of social media

GOV.UK

PM: No platform gets a free pass: Government takes action to keep children safe online

Substack

Giving children the space to grow  an update

GB News

Keir Starmer reveals fresh details of plan for major new internet restrictions

The Telegraph

Starmer Fast Track Child Social Media Ban

Daily Mirror

Should the UK ban social media for under-16s? Take our poll and have your say

Independent

Keir Starmer promises smartphone crackdown for under 16s within months

UK Parliament

3505

Government to drive action to improve childrens relationship with mobile phones and social media

YouGov

Would you support or oppose banning children under the age of 16 from having social media accounts?

Government crackdown on explicit deepfakes

Counterhate

Grok floods X with sexualized images of women and children  Center for Countering Digital Hate

Guardian

Even British teenagers want tighter laws around social media – but let’s make it part of a broader vision for children | Gaby Hinsliff

BasilTheGreat

Unherd

Britain's free speech paradox

Metaculus

Will Starmer Leave Office In 2026

John Rentoul

Chris Hopkins

Wes Streeting

Lee Harris

The Daily Express

John Rees

George Galloway

Samara Gill

Isabel Oakeshott

Esther McVey

Charlie Rowley

Daily Mail

Sky News

"The way things are going, just a year in — I genuinely think he will leave. I think he will be forced out."

"Starmer might have to go in months."

"I don't think he will survive a year [as prime minister]."

"Of course [he will be prime minister till 2029]."

How Long Will Keir Starmer Be UK's Prime Minister?

Anthony Albanese

9News Australia

Terry Flew

Australian Human Rights Commission

Aaron Mackey

Joanne Orlando

Melissa McIntosh

Damini Satija

Julie Inman Grant

Timothy Koskie

"They took the easy option, and it will fail."

“New accounts are being created and the age-verification tools that the government assured Australians would be effective, have proven laughably easy to bypass with some makeup and good lighting.”

“Tech-savvy teens simply use VPNs, fake birth photos for face scans, or migrate to less regulated platforms like Lemon8, or to platforms not part of the ban like video games. Enforcement is proving to be difficult in the days leading up to the ban.”

"Some verification methods are often inaccurate while others are easily circumvented.”

"Technological workarounds – such as VPNs and false age declarations – may undermine the effectiveness of the ban."

"This law will also push many users toward platforms that are more personal and private, like Telegram channels, WhatsApp Communities, and Signal Groups, which are not currently banned because they are important tools for encrypted and direct communication."

David Inserra

“Ultimately, reducing online harm would be a great outcome; however, we know from evidence that ‘banning’ anything from young people won’t work on its own.”

Louise La Sala

“There’s a fair amount of teething problems around it. Many young people have been posting on TikTok that they successfully evaded the age limitations and that’s to be expected.”

"I think it will help a lot of parents because it's not them saying no, it's an actual law."

Cassie Xintavelonis

“We don’t expect safety laws to eliminate every single breach. If we did, speed limits would have failed because people speed, drinking limits would have failed because, believe it or not, some kids do get access to alcohol.”

“The fact that teenagers occasionally find a way to have a drink doesn’t diminish the value of having a clear national standard.”

"Just as the banning of phones in school classrooms by many state governments hasn't on day one led to perfect compliance, now it's just accepted that there are improved educational outcomes, improved behaviour, improved social outcomes as a result."

"Australia's social media ban is already driving change, and is proof that the threat of regulation works, even before the law takes effect. Waiting for perfect policy risks paralysis when real progress is already within reach.”

Will Australia's Under 16 Social Media Ban be Effective?

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to introduce new legal powers through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would enable the government to act within months on findings from a consultation on children's digital wellbeing, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to introduce new legal powers through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill that would enable the government to act within months on findings from a consultation on children's digital wellbeing, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation.

The government will close a legal loophole by requiring all AI chatbot providers to comply with illegal content duties under the Online Safety Act, with potential fines of up to 10 percent of worldwide turnover for non-compliance.

The government will close a legal loophole by requiring all AI chatbot providers to comply with illegal content duties under the Online Safety Act, with potential fines of up to 10 percent of worldwide turnover for non-compliance.

A three-month consultation launching in March will examine potential measures including setting a minimum age limit for social media, restricting features like infinite scrolling, and limiting children's use of VPNs where they undermine safety protections.

A three-month consultation launching in March will examine potential measures including setting a minimum age limit for social media, restricting features like infinite scrolling, and limiting children's use of VPNs where they undermine safety protections.

The Crime and Policing Bill will incorporate Jools' Law, which requires preservation of children's social media data within five days if relevant to a cause of death, following a campaign by Ellen Roome after her 14-year-old son Jools died in 2022.

The Crime and Policing Bill will incorporate Jools' Law, which requires preservation of children's social media data within five days if relevant to a cause of death, following a campaign by Ellen Roome after her 14-year-old son Jools died in 2022.

Conservative former minister Lord Nash welcomed the adoption of Jools' Law but criticized the consultation approach as delay, stating the government should immediately raise the age limit to 16 for the most harmful platforms.

Conservative former minister Lord Nash welcomed the adoption of Jools' Law but criticized the consultation approach as delay, stating the government should immediately raise the age limit to 16 for the most harmful platforms.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government would not wait to take action families need and emphasized determination to give children the childhood they deserve while preparing them for rapid technological change.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government would not wait to take action families need and emphasized determination to give children the childhood they deserve while preparing them for rapid technological change.

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Guardian #5615

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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to close legal loopholes requiring AI chatbot providers to comply with illegal content duties under the Online Safety Act. The government will seek new powers through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to enable quicl action on consultation findings.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans to close legal loopholes requiring AI chatbot providers to comply with illegal content duties under the Online Safety Act. The government will seek new powers through the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill to enable quicl action on consultation findings.

The Prime Minister stated that, following the end of an ongoing consultation, the government potentially restrictions including a minimum age limit for social media, limits on infinite scrolling and restrictions on children's VPN use where it undermines safety protections.

The Prime Minister stated that, following the end of an ongoing consultation, the government potentially  restrictions including a minimum age limit for social media, limits on infinite scrolling and restrictions on children's VPN use where it undermines safety protections.

Amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill will incorporate Jools' Law, requiring preservation of children's social media data within five days if relevant to cause of death.

Amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill will incorporate Jools' Law, requiring preservation of children's social media data within five days if relevant to cause of death.

This comes as Starmer also announced that

This comes as Starmer  also announced that

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government would not wait to take action families need and would tighten rules on AI chatbots. She said ministers are determined to give children the childhood they deserve during rapid technological change.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government would not wait to take action families need and would tighten rules on AI chatbots. She said ministers are determined to give children the childhood they deserve during rapid technological change.

Andy Burrows of the Molly Rose Foundation welcomed the government's ambition to move quickly but stated the Prime Minister must go further by committing to a new Online Safety Act that strengthens regulation.

Andy Burrows of the Molly Rose Foundation welcomed the government's ambition to move quickly but stated the Prime Minister must go further by committing to a new Online Safety Act that strengthens regulation.

UK to Regulate AI Chatbots, Social Media for Children

UK to CloseRegulate AI Chatbot LoopholesChatbots, TightenSocial ChildMedia Safetyfor Children

The Controversies

Rowley

News

Gill

Streeting

Australia

McIntosh

Orlando

Mackey

Commission

Inserra

Sala

Flew

Xintavelonis

Grant

Albanese

Albanese

Koskie

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UK to Regulate AI Chatbots, Social Media for Children

UK to CloseRegulate AI Chatbot LoopholesChatbots, TightenSocial ChildMedia Safetyfor Children

The Controversies

Rowley

News

Gill

Streeting

Australia

McIntosh

Orlando

Mackey

Commission

Inserra

Sala

Flew

Xintavelonis

Grant

Albanese

Albanese

Koskie

Articles on this story

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