Keir Starmer promises crackdown on young people’s smartphone use within months

Measures could include a minimum age limit for social media, restrictions on infinite scrolling and preventing children from speaking with online chatbots NewsUKUK PoliticsKeir Starmer promises crackdown on young people’s smartphone use within monthsMeasures could include a minimum age limit for social media, restrictions on infinite scrolling and preventing children from speaking with online chatbotsKate Devlin Whitehall Editor Sunday 15 February 2026 22:38 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverMother of Brianna Ghey campaigns for smartphone ban in schoolsYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreKeir Starmer is vowing to enforce a crackdown on children and teenagers using smartphones within months to help keep them safe online. Reforms could include a minimum age limit for social media and restrictions on so-called “infinite” scrolling. Children could also be prevented from using virtual private networks (VPNs) to illicitly access pornography, and from speaking with online chatbots under proposals in a government consultation. Ministers are taking steps now to bring in powers that mean they can act swiftly and respond to its results within months. Before that, they will act now to close a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law. open image in galleryThe PM is promising to act to keep young people safe online (Getty/iStock)It follows a war of words between ministers and Elon Musk after his Grok AI chatbot was used widely to make fake nude images of women.The PM pledged that no online platform would get a “free pass” when it comes to children’s safety on the internet. Sir Keir said: “As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online. Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up. With my government, Britain will be a leader, not a follower, when it comes to online safety.“The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass.“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action. We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”The consultation into new social media protections will launch in March and be guided by what parents and children say they want to see.open image in galleryTechnology secretary Liz Kendall (PA) (PA Wire)Ministers also plan to introduce powers through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to speedily change the law in reactions to changing online behaviours.Elsewhere, amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill will be used to ensure chatbots protect users from illegal content.Technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “I know that parents across the country want us to act urgently to keep their children safe online. That’s why I stood up to Grok and Elon Musk when they flouted British laws and British values.“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.“We are determined to give children the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future at a time of rapid technological change.”The Crime and Policing Bill will also be updated to include measures which will preserve children’s social media and online data, as called for by the campaign group Jools’ Law.The campaign was started by Ellen Roome, when questions about the death of her 14-year-old son Jools could not be answered as records of his digital activity could not be accessed.Lord Nash, a Conservative former minister who has been campaigning in the Lords for tighter social media controls for children, welcomed the adoption of Jools’ Law by the government.He added: “However, we have a moral duty to try and ensure it is never needed in future by avoiding future tragedies.“There are too many children who are still being catastrophically harmed by social media every day, and this announcement will not prevent that. This consultation is just delay dressed up as