The UK government is updating online safety laws to include AI chatbots and better protect children, proposing measures such as data preservation for deceased minors and considering bans on social media for under-16s. While these changes aim to close legal loopholes and respond quickly to technological advances, critics warn about potential overreach and question the effectiveness of outright bans, citing international experiences.
The UK government is moving to strengthen online safety laws to better protect children, particularly in response to the rapid development of artificial intelligence and online platforms. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged that no online platform will be exempt from these new regulations, emphasizing the need to close loopholes in existing laws. This includes ensuring that AI chatbots, which were not covered in the original Online Safety Act, are now regulated. The government also plans to act more quickly in updating legislation to keep pace with technological changes.
A key part of the proposed changes involves how data related to deceased children is handled. Currently, bereaved parents often struggle to access their child’s online data, as it may be deleted before authorities can request it. Under the new rules, coroners will be required to notify Ofcom immediately about the death of any child aged 5 to 17, allowing the regulator to order tech companies to preserve potentially relevant data. This measure has been welcomed by campaigners and parents who have lost children, as it could help families understand the circumstances surrounding their child’s death.
The government is also launching a public consultation in March to gather opinions on further measures, such as banning social media for under-16s, restricting access to AI chatbots, and limiting features like infinite scrolling (also known as “doom scrolling”) for children. While the government promises to act swiftly on the consultation’s results, critics are concerned that this could lead to the government granting itself powers to change laws without sufficient parliamentary oversight. Recent actions, such as the rapid introduction of a ban on AI-generated deepfakes, highlight the urgency and complexity of the issue.
The video also examines Australia’s experience with a social media ban for under-16s, which has been in place since December of the previous year. Professor Leila Green from Edith Cowan University notes that, so far, most teenagers have found ways to circumvent the ban, often by evading age verification systems. She argues that rather than simply banning access, it would be more effective for countries to work together to make platforms safer for young people, while maintaining open communication between children and their parents.
Finally, the political correspondent Joe Pike discusses the challenges facing the UK government as it tries to keep up with rapidly evolving technology. While the government wants new powers to quickly close legislative loopholes, this approach is controversial due to concerns about bypassing parliamentary scrutiny. There is also debate about the effectiveness of outright bans, with some experts warning of unintended consequences, such as a sudden increase in access at age 16. The government is looking to learn from other countries and is under pressure to demonstrate that it is taking children’s online safety seriously, even as tech companies continue to evolve rapidly.