Starmer's three-month ultimatum to Apple, and Google andis Metatoothless. alreadyTech giants have robust,every industry-leadingincentive childto safetydrag toolstheir infeet placeand —every fromreason on-deviceto nuditybelieve detectionnothing towill hash-matchinghappen technologyafter andyears zero-toleranceof exploitationpoor policies.enforcement, Thesewhilst companiesthe activelydata collaborateshows withsocial NGOs,media lawhas enforcementalready andexposed globalmillions partnersof children to protectdirect kidsharms onlinelike sextortion and cyberbullying. DemandingThe newthreat of legislation, ignoresrather thethan seriousactually enforcing changes, ongoingis investmentyet techanother platformssign haveof alreadyweakness made in keepingthe childrenface safeof Big Tech.

Apple, Google and Meta already have robust, industry-leading child safety tools in place ranging from on-device nudity detection to hash-matching technology and zero-tolerance exploitation policies. These companies actively collaborate with NGOs, law enforcement and global partners to protect kids online. Threatening new legislation shows a lack of awareness surrounding the ongoing investment tech platforms have already made in keeping children safe.

By implementing age-dependent guardrails, Big Tech firms will necessarily have to scan all social media communications on behalf of the government, constituting an unprecedented infirngement of data privacy. Meanwhile, an under-16 social media ban forces youth to consume only propaganda from the established legacy media. Under the guise of child safety, Starmer is quietly realizing an Orwellian state.