Tightening on AI and social media under 16: London speeds up digital regulation

The UK government is preparing a crackdown on AI and minors’ access to social media, with potentially significant effects on the tech industry and on international regulatory balances. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced his intention to strengthen executive powers to combat “vile and illegal content created by AI” and to swiftly introduce measures to protect minors.

The plan requires all chatbot providers to strictly comply with digital safety rules, including a ban on generating sexualized images without consent. The decision follows controversy surrounding the spread of non-consensual intimate images produced by the chatbot Grok on the platform X, owned by Elon Musk.

On the social media front, a public consultation - starting in March - will assess the introduction of a minimum age of 16 for access to platforms and possible restrictions on the use of VPNs to bypass blocks on adult content. The new rules will be introduced as an amendment to legislation on crime and child protection currently under review in Parliament, with the stated aim of avoiding lengthy legislative processes each time technology evolves.

The UK crackdown is part of a broader global trend. Australia has already banned social media use for under-16s, imposing fines of up to 49.5 million Australian dollars on non-compliant platforms. France is also discussing a similar measure for minors under 15, backed by President Emmanuel Macron.

Digital companies now face higher compliance costs, investments in age-verification systems, and potential user losses. At the same time, the measures raise questions about privacy, freedom of expression, and the competitiveness of the UK market. The regulation of AI and social media thus confirms itself not only as an ethical issue, but as a strategic dossier for the future of the European digital economy.

Andrea Pelucchi