Starmer pledges crackdown on 'addictive elements' of social media

Source: BBC Technology

Government proposals

• Public consultation (launching March) – seeks views on:
  • Restricting children’s access to AI chatbots.
  • Limiting infinite‑scrolling features (often called doomscrolling).
• New enforcement powers – to target:
  • Auto‑play and never‑ending scrolling that keep children glued to screens.
  • Circumvention of age‑limit restrictions, including the use of VPNs to access pornographic content.
• Chatbot regulation – requiring AI systems to protect users from illegal content.

Sir Keir emphasized the need for swift action, citing the government’s response to the misuse of X’s Grok AI chatbot for creating fake nude images:

“The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass. 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.”

Jools’ Law and data‑preservation reforms

The Crime and Policing Bill will be amended to change how children’s social‑media data is stored after death. Currently, a coroner or police must request a child’s data within 12 months, by which time it is often already deleted. The new rules would require preservation within five days if the data could be relevant to determining the cause of death.

“This going forward will help other bereaved families. What we now need to do is stop the harm happening in the first place,” said Ellen Roome, whose son Jools died in 2022 while attempting an internet challenge.

Lord Nash, a former Conservative minister, welcomed the adoption of Jools’ Law but urged the government to raise the age limit to 16 for the most harmful platforms to prevent future tragedies.

Political reactions

• Shadow Education Secretary Laura Trott (Labour) – called the consultation “inaction” and warned Britain is “lagging behind.” She advocated banning under‑16s from these platforms.
• Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Munira Wilson – accused the government of “kicking the can down the road” and demanded a clear timeline for action.
• Technology Secretary Liz Kendall – said the government is “determined to give children the childhood they deserve” and will not wait to implement needed safeguards.

Relevant links

• Sir Keir’s article on Substack: Giving children the space to grow

Getty Images

PA Media