Keir Starmer vows “no platform gets a free pass” as Government tightens Online Safety Act to protect children

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

The Government has announced urgent action to strengthen the Online Safety Act and close legal loopholes that ministers say are putting children at risk, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledging that “no platform gets a free pass” when it comes to online safety.

Speaking to parents and young people on Monday 16 February, the Prime Minister will set out new powers designed to ensure the law keeps pace with fast-moving technologies, including artificial intelligence chatbots and social media features that critics argue are harmful to children.

AI chatbot loophole to be closed

Under the new measures, the Government will move to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties under the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law.

Ministers say this will ensure the Act keeps up with rapidly evolving harms, including vile illegal content created by AI systems.

The move follows government action over non-consensual intimate images being shared on Grok, which subsequently led to the function being removed.

The Prime Minister said:

“As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online.

“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.

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

“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action.

“We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”

Faster action through new legal powers

The Government will also take new legal powers to enable rapid action following its forthcoming consultation on children’s digital wellbeing.

Rather than relying on new primary legislation each time technology evolves, ministers say the proposed changes will allow targeted measures to be introduced within months, subject to parliamentary approval.

This could include setting a minimum age limit for social media and restricting features such as infinite scrolling where they are found to be harmful.

The law already makes clear that the distribution of nude images of children is illegal. However, the Government will consult on how best to ensure tech companies can safeguard children from sending or receiving such images in the first place.

The consultation will also examine:

• Restrictions on children’s use of AI chatbots

• Options to age restrict or limit children’s VPN use where it undermines safety protections

• Potential changes to the age of digital consent

Ministers also intend to strengthen protections for families facing the most devastating circumstances by ensuring vital data following a child’s death is preserved before it can be deleted, except where online activity is clearly not relevant.

Legislation to be amended

According to notes provided by the Government, new powers will be tabled in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to allow swift implementation of measures emerging from the consultation.

An amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill will enable the Government to require chatbots not currently in scope of the Online Safety Act to protect users from illegal content. Any proposals will be subject to an affirmative vote in the House of Commons.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

“I know that parents across the country want us to act urgently to keep their children safe online. That’s why I stood up to Grok and Elon Musk when they flouted British laws and British values.

“We will not wait to take the action families need, so we will tighten the rules on AI chatbots and we are laying the ground so we can act at pace on the results of the consultation on young people and social media.

“We are determined to give children the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future at time of rapid technological change.”

Support for parents and families

The children’s digital wellbeing consultation will launch next month and will be guided by the views of parents and children.

Ministers said engagement with families and civil society groups has already made clear that parents want faster action and clearer support.

To provide immediate assistance, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched the ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ campaign. It offers practical guidance on safety settings, conversation prompts for parents, and age-appropriate advice on dealing with harmful content, including misogynistic material and ragebait.

Chris Sherwood, Chief Executive of the NSPCC, said:

“We welcome the Prime Minister’s promise to act quickly and decisively to hold tech companies to account and make the online world safer for children. The status quo can’t continue, and without real change the pressure for an under-16 social media ban will only increase.

“Much of what is being proposed mirrors what we have been pressing for: proper age-limit enforcement, an end to addictive design, and stronger action from platforms, devices, and AI tools to stop harmful content at the source. Delivered swiftly, these measures would offer far better protection than a blanket ban.

“We also strongly support putting children’s voices at the centre of this debate. They understand both the benefits and risks of being online and – after their insights have been overlooked in discussions so far – their experiences must now help guide the decisions made in the months ahead.

“We need urgent action and an ambitious agenda if the Government is going to take on tech bosses and make a difference for children and young people.”

Andy Burrows, Chief Executive of the Molly Rose Foundation, added:

“Parents are right to demand urgent action on online safety, and we strongly welcome the Government’s ambition to move quickly and decisively to tackle appalling and preventable harm.

“This announcement should reassure parents that change is on the way. It means that children and families could see much needed safety improvements within months, including action against high-risk AI Chatbots and new measures to prevent girls from being coerced into sending nude photos.

“This a welcome downpayment but the Prime Minister must now go further. Sir Keir Starmer should commit to a new Online Safety Act that strengthens regulation and that makes clear that product safety and children’s wellbeing is the cost of doing business in the UK.”

A shift in the UK’s approach to online child safety

Ministers say the measures mark a shift in how the UK approaches child online safety, with a focus on acting at speed as technology evolves.

For parents concerned about addictive design, harmful content and the rise of AI-powered tools, the Government argues the new powers will allow protections to be strengthened within months rather than years — with Parliament retaining oversight of any changes.