UK Sets Course for Stricter AI Chatbot Regulation
The UK government has announced immediate action to enforce compliance among AI chatbot providers with laws aimed at protecting children from illegal and harmful content on online platforms. Providers failing to meet these requirements will face legal consequences.
This decision comes in the wake of incidents involving the sharing of non-consensual intimate images through the AI chatbot Grok, which led to the removal of a related function to enhance user safety.
Government Response
The Prime Minister emphasized the necessity for the government to take new legal powers to facilitate rapid action following a consultation focused on children’s wellbeing online. These powers are designed to allow updates to online safety rules within months, informed by evidence gathered during the consultation.
“Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up,” stated the Prime Minister, Keir Starmer.
Proposed Measures
The government is keen to take action on several fronts, including:
- Setting a minimum age for social media usage.
- Limiting features such as infinite scrolling.
- Reviewing existing laws that prohibit the distribution of nude images of children, and exploring additional measures to prevent children from sending or receiving such images.
Further areas under review encompass:
- Restrictions on children’s use of AI chatbots.
- Regulations concerning VPN usage that bypass safety systems.
- Modifications to the age of digital consent.
Support for Affected Families
The UK government is also focusing on supporting families following the death of a child. Plans are in place to preserve online data linked to a child before it is deleted, particularly when that data may be relevant for the family.
“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,” remarked Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.
