UK government pressed to ban unsafe platforms for children

A coalition of online safety campaigners with differing views on digital regulation has joined forces to urge UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to require social media companies to prove their platforms are safe before allowing children access, Sky News reports.

Ahead of the government’s online safety consultation closing later this week, six organisations and charities submitted a joint letter calling on the government to make platforms “earn the right” to provide services to young users.

The groups are demanding that social media companies meet strict safety requirements before children are permitted to use their services, arguing that platforms failing to meet those standards should be barred from hosting underage users.

The campaigners also urged the prime minister to honour his pledge to act “within months” rather than delay legislative reforms aimed at strengthening online protections for children.

Despite holding opposing positions on how best to improve online safety, the organisations said they had united over concerns about the risks facing children on digital platforms.

“This consultation is an opportunity to deliver the real change that children, parents, and British families across the UK are calling for,” the letter stated.

“We urge you to seize it — and to stick to your pledge to act ‘within months not years’.”

By Vafa Guliyeva