UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is widely expected to announce a ban on social media for under-16s within the next 10 days, after a similar measure was introduced in Australia.
Mr Starmer is said to be preparing to unveil plans to restrict online activity for children to protect them from harmful content after a nationwide consultation that ended last month.
In a speech at London Tech Week, the Prime Minister told social media companies to “take responsibility” for harmful content on their platforms. He rejected suggestions that the risks of social media are something parents must put up with. “I reject that completely, because tech should adapt to the needs of society, not the other way around.”
Mr Starmer stopped short of announcing the ban, instead giving tech companies an ultimatum – stop children sending and receiving explicit images on their devices or the government will set out legislation to force companies to take action.
London Tech Week is bringing together ministers and industry experts to discuss how technological changes will shape society.
"The pace of change cannot be an excuse for harm," Mr Starmer said at a Tech Week panel. "And where technology poses a threat to our people, to our children, we will act quickly and firmly."
Asked why the Prime Minister issued an ultimatum to tech companies rather than introducing legislation immediately, Mr Starmer’s official spokesman said: “Asking the tech companies to do it and then legislating has the potential to make this happen more quickly. The focus is on delivering these changes as swiftly as possible and the best way of doing that is to work with the tech industry to drive change.”
The government wants firms to activate built-in features on their devices or come up with technological solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images from children. The changes will apply to existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets in the UK.
Legislation could cover operating system such as Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android and other forms in the supply chain, such as retailers selling phones and tablets. Officials said changes would not affect the use of devices owned and used by adults who verify their age.
Meanwhile, a separate consultation will lead to guidance for parents on when a child should get their first smartphone and how long under-16s should spend in front of screens.
The call for evidence will also seek views on screen use in schools, where ministers believe technology can play a vital role, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
At Tech Week, Mr Starmer also pledged that no community would be left behind in the “tech revolution” and unveiled new AI tools aimed at helping jobseekers get into work.
The "Labour path" is a promise to make tech work “for everyone, not just the privileged few” in a speech setting out the government’s plans to prepare people for a changing employment market.
A new “AI assistant”, announced on Monday and designed to provide 24/7 guidance on topics such as career development and job applications through a “CV builder” feature, will be tested online for about three months.
An AI “bootcamp scheme” will be introduced across England this summer to provide those at risk of becoming unemployed, or out of education and training, with resources they to find work.
Meanwhile, Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the state would “aggressively” take bigger stakes in fast-growing UK companies, signalling a new wave of corporatism as the government seeks to hold on to flourishing companies moving overseas.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called himself “an AI realist” at the event and said he recognised both “the challenges and opportunities” of the development.
"Technology is not spread evenly across our country," he added. "We learnt during the Covid pandemic that there were these tech deserts, either not having the right kit, the right connectivity, or the right training, and that’s an issue for us as a country and as a city.
In her address, Lisa Su, chief executive of semiconductor company AMD, announced £2 billion ($2.6 billion) of investment in the UK over the next five years.
Former UK cabinet minister Wes Streeting has previously accused the government of being “asleep at the wheel” on matters relating to social media and technology regulation. Mr Streeting, who resigned last month in protest against Mr Starmer's leadership, said: “Our approach to mobile phones and social media has been akin to basically saying, ‘Kids need to learn how to use woodwork, let’s give three-year-olds, five-year-olds some saws, some nails and hammers, and leave them unsupervised and see what happens, because they need to learn how to use the tools.”
Ministers have been considering evidence from Australia, which imposed a blanket social media ban for under-16s in December. Reports suggest the UK clampdown will exclude apps including YouTube Kids.
England's Children’s Commissioner Rachel de Souza said any ban should cover 16 and 17-year-olds, who she said should not have “lesser protection”.
Mr Starmer is expected to announce the plans in a speech before the Makerfield by-election on June 18, when Labour leadership rival Andy Burnham will learn whether his path has been cleared to return to Westminster and challenge the Prime Minister.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall announced several measures aimed at allowing young people to gain skills to help them secure employment, with about 400,000 across the most disadvantaged schools to be offered AI and tech training.
The government is looking to reverse the “brain drain” of successful UK businesses looking abroad. Cambridge-based computer chip designer Arm’s decision to list on the US Nasdaq exchange is the most prominent case.
The Conservative Party cast doubt on how effective the AI tools would be in helping people into work, warning that jobseekers need a “strong economy where employers can afford to hire them” rather than an app.
