Social Media: Children
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether proposals on children’s online safety will apply to social media platforms, video-sharing platforms, gaming platforms, livestreaming services, encrypted messaging services and AI chatbots; and whether she plans to publish a list of services, functionalities and risk factors determining whether age restrictions and additional safety duties apply.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan
On 15 June, the government announced its intention to ban social media companies from offering their services to under 16s. The government aims to use the same definition of social media as Australia, which covers user to user platforms whose purpose is to enable social interaction, and which allow users to post material alongside algorithms.
Additional restrictions on risky functionalities such as stranger communication and livestreaming will apply across a wider range of services for under-16s, with default-on restrictions for 16–17-year-olds. This includes gaming services.
Chatbots primarily for sexual relationships, and sexually explicit features on general-purpose chatbots, will not be available to under-18s.
Further details will be set out in regulations.
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