Social media, AI chatbots and gaming sites could face age restrictions in the UK, as the government consults on setting access limits to boost online child safety, according to a consultation launched on Monday.

The consultation – which runs until 26 May – will consider introducing a UK-wide minimum age for children’s social media use. It will also explore what age could be chosen for limiting access.

The moves come after several EU countries, including France, Denmark, Spain and Germany, voiced support for limiting kids’ and adolescents’ access to social media due to concerns over addictive platform design and online hate, with some countries saying they will introduce legislation.

The UK consultation will ask children as well as parents whether stricter age-gating measures should be applied online, with the government noting that the proportion of UK children with a social media profile has significantly increased over the past five years.

The consultation will also examine whether interface features that create addiction risks, such as infinite scrolling and autoplay, should be restricted for children.

Announcing the consultation on Monday, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that social media should not get a “free pass” from child protection.

Under the UK’s Online Safety Act – which is similar in intent to the EU’s Digital Services Act – platforms must already ensure that minors are protected from being exposed to harmful or pornographic content via age checks.

In the EU, the possibility of EU-wide legislation to curb children’s access to social media will be considered this summer, drawing on recommendations to be delivered then by a panel of experts appointed by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

(nl)