Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has advocated for the introduction of budget-style parliamentary debates to help online safety legislation keep pace with rapid technological advancements, particularly in artificial intelligence and social media.
Urgent Need for Legislative Speed
Ms Kendall emphasised that technology is evolving at a much faster rate than the law can adapt, creating significant gaps in protection. She highlighted the Government's concern over the impact of AI chatbots on children, noting that both she and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer are deeply worried about this issue.
Prime Minister's Commitment to Leadership
Sir Keir Starmer has pledged that Britain will take a leading role in online safety rather than following other nations. He stated, "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."
Proposed Measures and Timelines
The Government plans to consult on several key initiatives before the summer, including:
- Establishing minimum age limits for social media platforms.
- Restricting children's access to virtual private networks (VPNs) that could bypass age verification rules on pornography websites.
- Extending the duties of the Online Safety Act 2023 to cover one-to-one conversations with AI chatbots.
Ms Kendall told BBC Breakfast, "We will definitely come forward with our proposals before the summer. We want to get the legislation right, whatever we decide to do in the end." She stressed the importance of moving swiftly to address these challenges.
Learning from Past Legislation
The Technology Secretary expressed frustration with the lengthy process that accompanied the passage of the Online Safety Act 2023, which imposed new duties on social media and search companies to identify and prevent illegal content. She argued that such delays are untenable given the current pace of technological change.
Budget Process as a Model
Ms Kendall pointed to the Finance Bill process as a potential model for updating online safety laws more efficiently. This process, which follows the budget to enact the Chancellor's tax plans into law, could be adapted to ensure continuous updates to online safety regulations.
"We're going to have to start thinking in the same way around online safety so we constantly keep pace, so that we protect children, give them their childhood back, as well as preparing them for the future," she explained.
Immediate Actions on AI Chatbots
Addressing specific concerns about AI chatbots, Ms Kendall revealed that children have already been exposed to harmful content related to self-harm and suicide, prompting immediate government action. She noted that while some AI chatbots are covered by the Online Safety Act if they involve user-to-user sharing or live search, one-on-one interactions with AI remain a significant worry.
"And I am concerned about these AI chatbots. Some are already covered by the Act if they have user-to-user sharing or live search. But when it's just that one-on-one with AI chatbots, I'm really concerned, as is the Prime Minister, about the impact that is having on children and young people," she told Times Radio.
She assured that steps are being taken to prevent illegal content shared by AI chatbots from reaching anyone, including adults, underscoring the Government's comprehensive approach to online safety in an era of rapid digital transformation.
