UK Tightens AI Chatbot Regulations to Protect Children Online
London – AI chatbot providers, including ChatGPT and Grok, are facing heightened regulatory pressure in the United Kingdom, as the government promises swift action to safeguard children online.
“Today we close the loopholes that put children at risk, and lay the groundwork for further action.” – UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Key Aims of the Regulatory Initiative
Regulatory direction changes are linked to AI and social networks again facing criticism for potential harm to young people after Grok, for weeks on X, generated sexually explicit images of women and children, sparking a global backlash.
The government’s main focus is an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that would require AI chatbot providers to comply with obligations under the Online Safety Act to protect users from illegal content. Noncompliance could lead to fines and other penalties.
The government also plans to grant new legislative powers aimed at swiftly implementing future measures for the online well-being of children. This will enable action on measures such as setting a minimum age of 16 for using social networks – a proposal that was open for public consultation last month and follows similar steps in Australia and Spain.
Possible Measures and Global Context
Other possible measures will include:
- Restricting features such as infinite scrolling,
- Strengthening protections against the distribution of nude images,
- Considering limits on children’s access to AI chatbots and virtual private networks.
This move underscores the global pressure on lawmakers to ensure domestic laws keep pace with the speed of AI development. The Online Safety Act in the United Kingdom, though ambitious, was passed in 2023 when chatbots were still in the early stages of development.
“The actions we took regarding Grok sent a clear message: no platform gets a free pass.” – UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“I see it in the same way as many parents, with sincere concern about the time spent on social networks, the content available there, and the dependence on many aspects of what goes on in social networks – how it draws children in and distracts from other aspects of their growing up,” he added.
Ongoing Investigations and Global Developments
This week, hearings in the landmark court case against Meta and YouTube will continue in Los Angeles, examining whether platforms such as Instagram deliberately foster addiction.
Other news you may find interesting:
- AI’s impact on mental health, regulation, and the economy grows in 2025, raising concerns and shaping policies worldwide.
- French police searched X offices in Paris and summoned Elon Musk amid an expanded investigation into the company and its chatbot Grok over misuse and harmful content.
- The Spanish government has ordered a prosecutor to investigate AI-generated child sexual abuse content on platforms X, Meta, and TikTok, aiming to strengthen online child protection laws.
