UK and EU Move to Address Child Safety Risks on Social Media Platforms

In Brief

Recent legal and regulatory actions in the UK and EU highlight growing concerns over children's exposure to online harms and the push for stricter ...

Key Facts

• UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to address 'addictive features' in social media to protect children.
• Recent US court verdicts have held Meta and YouTube responsible for harms linked to addictive technology design.
• The UK government is consulting on a ban of social media use for under-16s, while the House of Lords advocates for faster action.
• The European Commission has opened an investigation into Snapchat over concerns about child safety and exposure to grooming and exploitation.
• EU regulators have also accused four pornographic websites of failing to prevent minors from accessing adult content.

What Happened

UK and EU authorities have announced new efforts to regulate social media platforms, focusing on child safety. This follows recent US court rulings and ongoing investigations into platforms like Snapchat.

Why It Matters

These actions reflect increasing international scrutiny of social media companies regarding child protection, potentially leading to stricter regulations and industry changes affecting young users.

What's Next

The UK government is conducting a consultation on a possible under-16 social media ban, and EU investigations into Snapchat and other platforms are ongoing. Further legislative or regulatory measures may follow.