Starmer to meet social media bosses over child safety concerns

PoliticsTechnology
16 Apr 2026 • 8:55 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Starmer to meet social media bosses over child safety concerns

  • Sir Keir Starmer will summon senior figures from TikTok, X, and Meta to Downing Street this week to demand greater action on child protection.
  • The Prime Minister stated the talks aim to ensure social media companies take responsibility, warning of "stark" consequences if they fail to act.
  • The meeting occurs amid a government consultation exploring new online restrictions, including a potential Australia-style social media ban for under-16s, limits on addictive features, and enhanced controls for AI chatbots.
  • Sir Keir has indicated a willingness to tackle features like infinite scrolling, despite some industry pushback, with Google's UK boss warning against blanket bans.
  • The government's “Growing Up In The Online World” consultation closes on 26 May, with promises of swift action and changes to be implemented within months.

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