By Micah Jonah
February 16, 2026
The United Kingdom government has announced plans to tighten regulations on artificial intelligence chatbots and restrict minors’ access to social media, in a sweeping child safety push unveiled by Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Starmer said his administration would move against what he described as “vile and illegal content created by AI” and seek fresh legal powers to act swiftly on the outcome of a public consultation considering a ban on social media use for children under 16.
“Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up,” the prime minister said in a statement on Monday. “We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”
Under the proposed measures, AI chatbot providers operating in the UK will be required to comply strictly with existing digital safety and child-protection laws. This includes a ban on generating sexualised images without a person’s consent, following recent concerns over content created by chatbots on platforms including X.
The government also plans to amend current crime and child-protection legislation before parliament to fast-track future restrictions without waiting for lengthy primary legislation processes.
A nationwide consultation set to begin in March will examine proposals such as introducing a minimum age requirement for social media access and restricting the use of virtual private networks (VPNs) by minors to bypass content filters.
The UK’s move comes amid a global shift toward tighter online regulation for young people. In 2025, Australia became the first country to ban children under 16 from using major social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.
Since the law took effect, Australian authorities say millions of accounts linked to underage users have been removed, with social media firms facing heavy fines for non-compliance.
Starmer’s proposal has drawn support from both his Labour Party and the opposition Conservative Party, which has also backed stricter age limits for social media use.
However, digital rights groups warn that broad restrictions could have unintended consequences, including privacy concerns for adults and reduced access to legitimate online services.
Last year, image-hosting website Imgur blocked access to UK users following tighter age-verification requirements, while some adult-content platforms opted to restrict UK traffic rather than implement verification systems.
Despite these measures, experts note that geographic restrictions can often be bypassed through VPN services, a loophole the British government says it intends to address in its upcoming consultation.
Across Europe, France is also debating legislation to ban social media use for children under 15, with President Emmanuel Macron backing the proposal.
As governments race to regulate rapidly evolving technology, the UK’s latest move signals a growing willingness among Western nations to intervene more aggressively in the digital space in the name of child protection.
