Online safety has moved to the centre of British politics, and this page tracks each step. The under-16s social media ban dominates: the government unveiling it, tech firms handed an ultimatum, parents backing tougher screen rules in polling, and two opinion pieces arguing that announcing a ban is the easy part and honest enforcement the real test. Around it sit the loopholes and threats still open, from ministers moving on AI chatbots in safety law to scam adverts exploiting trusted names and MPs warning that misinformation is outpacing the response.
Authorities moved against an app linked to two student suspects after a shooting in Tacloban killed three students, widening debate over youth safety and firearm access.
Consumer champions have demanded tougher action on scam adverts after fresh warnings about fraudsters impersonating well-known figures, the Postcode Lottery and major retailers to part the public from their money.
Banning under-16s from TikTok, Instagram and YouTube answers a real public anxiety, but a law the government cannot enforce risks becoming a comforting fiction that lets the platforms off the hook.
New government polling reveals strong public support for limits on young children's screen time and a possible social media ban for under-16s, even as surveys find a majority of children already using AI every day.
Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and X will be off-limits to children under 16 under plans the prime minister says will give young people their childhood back.
The government is fast-tracking reforms to bring standalone AI chatbots within the scope of online safety rules, after an Ofcom investigation exposed a gap that left some tools outside the law entirely.
The government is edging towards age restrictions on social media while resisting an outright phone ban. The instinct is right, but the enforcement is where this will be won or lost.
The Prime Minister is poised to restrict social media access for under-16s within days, warning technology companies to act on harmful content or face legislation.
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee has pressed the Technology Secretary over the spread of harmful content after fresh unrest linked to a fatal stabbing.