The UK government is stepping up its efforts to protect children online, with the Prime Minister announcing swift action to rein in powerful tech platforms and close legal loopholes that put

young people at risk.

Speaking to parents and young people today, Keir Starmer said the government will move “at pace” to ensure the law keeps up with fast-moving technology — from social media algorithms to artificial intelligence tools that barely existed a generation ago.

At the heart of the new approach is a clear warning to technology companies: no platform will be allowed to slip through the cracks. Ministers plan to act within months, not years, using new legal powers designed to respond quickly as online risks evolve.

Crackdown on AI and illegal content

One of the most immediate changes targets AI chatbots. The government will shut a loophole that has allowed some AI providers to avoid responsibilities under the Online Safety Act. Once the change is made, all AI chatbot services will be required to prevent and remove illegal content — or face enforcement action.

The move follows recent government intervention over the sharing of non-consensual intimate images, which led to a controversial feature being removed from Grok after concerns were raised about illegal content.

The Prime Minister said the action sent a clear signal that online safety rules apply equally to all platforms, regardless of size or influence.

Faster powers to protect children

Beyond AI, ministers are laying the groundwork for broader reforms aimed at children’s digital wellbeing. New powers will allow the government to act quickly on the findings of an upcoming consultation, avoiding long delays caused by the need for fresh primary legislation every time technology changes.

This could open the door to measures such as:

- Setting a minimum age for social media use

- Restricting harmful features like infinite scrolling

- Strengthening safeguards around the sharing of sexual images involving children

While it is already illegal to distribute nude images of children, the government will consult on how tech companies can better prevent children from sending or receiving such material in the first place.

Tackling the full range of online risks

The consultation will also explore wider issues affecting young people online, including:

- Possible restrictions on children’s access to AI chatbots

- Limiting or age-restricting VPN use where it undermines safety controls

- Reviewing the age of digital consent

- Preserving online data following a child’s death, except where it is clearly irrelevant, to support families in the most tragic circumstances

Ministers say this marks a shift towards a more agile, evidence-led system that keeps the UK at the forefront of child online safety.

“No platform gets a free pass”

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.”

Support for parents, starting now

The children’s digital wellbeing consultation will launch next month, shaped by what parents and young people say they need now — not years down the line. Ministers are already engaging with families and civil society groups, who have consistently called for faster action and clearer guidance.

To offer immediate help, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched the “You Won’t Know Until You Ask” campaign. It provides practical advice on safety settings, conversation starters for parents, and age-appropriate guidance on dealing with harmful content, including misogyny and ragebait.

Together, ministers say, these steps signal a tougher, faster and more child-focused approach — with the message to tech companies unmistakably clear: the rules apply to everyone.

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.” Photo: Sergeant Tom Robinson RLC/MOD, Wikimedia commons.