New legal powers to act faster on children’s online safety
Protecting children online must be a national priority. Technology evolves quickly, and the law must keep pace. That is why the Government is taking new legal powers through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to lay the groundwork for swift action following our consultation on children’s wellbeing online.
These powers will allow us to follow the evidence and act within months, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation every time technology changes. It is a proactive step, taken through the proper parliamentary channels, to ensure we are ready to respond as soon as the consultation concludes. Both Houses of Parliament will vote on the secondary legislation that puts those outcomes into effect.
What the consultation will cover
The three-month consultation will consider a range of measures designed to better protect children online, including:
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Banning social media for under-16s
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Raising the digital age of consent from 13, preventing companies from using and profiting from children’s data without parental consent
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Overnight curfews and breaks to reduce excessive use and doom-scrolling
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Stronger enforcement of existing age-verification laws
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Exploring whether school mobile phone guidance should be made statutory
We will also broaden the consultation to examine further protections, such as:
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Blocking the ability for children to send or receive nude images
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Restrictions on children using AI chatbots
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Age-restricting or limiting children’s use of VPNs
Supporting bereaved families
The Government will also require coroners to notify Ofcom by default following the death of any child aged five and over, except in cases where online activity is clearly not relevant.
This measure responds directly to requests from bereaved families and will ensure vital online data is preserved as quickly as possible. It strengthens existing protections and helps families get the answers they deserve.
Tackling illegal AI-generated content
Alongside this, the Government is taking action to crack down on illegal content created by AI. We will close a legal loophole and require all AI chatbot providers to comply with illegal content duties under the Online Safety Act, or face the consequences.
This follows swift government action after abhorrent non-consensual intimate images were shared on Grok, which led to that function being removed. The new powers in the Crime and Policing Bill will allow these changes to be implemented through secondary legislation.
Acting quickly to keep children safe
These steps are about being ready to act quickly once the evidence is in. By getting the right powers now, we can ensure the law keeps pace with technology and that children’s wellbeing remains at the heart of our approach.