UK PM Starmer warns tech firms against 'free pass', tightens child safety online norms

The UK on Monday unveiled tougher online safety norms to protect children against the harmful effects of AI chatbots and social media.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned that no online technology firm will get a free pass as the government acts to keep kids safe while they navigate a digital world that is shaped by powerful platforms, addictive design and fast-moving tech.

It includes action to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties under the UK Online Safety Act, or face penalties.

A consultation will also be launched to determine the action required to set a minimum age limit for social media access and restrict its harmful features like infinite scrolling.

“As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online," said Starmer.

“Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up... 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,” he said.

His intervention follows the Elon Musk-led X platform withdrawing a controversial function which allowed non-consensual intimate images being shared on its Grok AI chatbot.

“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," said UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.

“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,” she said.

The British government said it is committed to speedily following the evidence from the new consultation, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation every time technology evolves.

“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," Downing Street said.

“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," it said.

The new Children’s Digital Wellbeing Consultation will launch next month, to be guided by what parents and children across the UK say is needed right away.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has also 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.

“The status quo can’t continue, and without real change the pressure for an under-16 social media ban will only increase," said Chris Sherwood, CEO of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) charity.

“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," he said.

Under new powers to be tabled in the UK Parliament with the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, the UK government says it will be able to act at speed on the findings of future consultations.

In December last year, Australia became the first country in the world to introduce a mandatory minimum age of 16 for accessing social media platforms. The debate over whether the UK must follow suit has since been pushed to the forefront.