Our children's safety matters more than clicks, that's why if Big Tech won't do anything I will, writes Sir Keir Starmer
I am bringing together some of the biggest social media companies to ensure they are stepping up to better protect Britain’s kids, writes Sir Keir Starmer
When it comes to the safety of our children, no one gets a free pass.
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So, today, I am bringing together some of the biggest social media companies to ensure they are stepping up to better protect Britain’s kids.
Launched six weeks ago, we are now at the mid-way point of our national conversation on growing up in the online world. I’ve already heard the views of parents, teenagers, academics and experts. They are clear with me that people want the benefits of technology, but not the harms that too often come with social media.
It’s a worry I’ve heard repeatedly from parents over recent weeks. They are worried about the pace of change, about a lack of control, and, above all else, about the wellbeing and safety of their children using it.
As a dad to two teenagers, I completely get that. I feel those same worries that millions of parents do. Like them, I want to know that when my kids pick up their phones, they’re not being exposed to things that can harm them, or glued to their screens by addictive design. That’s why getting this right matters so deeply to me.
In a world where technology is moving faster than ever before, it’s a challenge we must all step up to face – and that means social media companies too.
Each of those companies will need to be able to demonstrate, credibly and quickly, that their products are appropriate and safe. If they cannot, we will not wait to act. Just as we moved to ban AI tools designed to create abusive deepfakes, we will act swiftly again.
It’s why I have already taken the powers needed to act quickly on what this consultation finds. Because that is what this moment demands and what parents rightly expect. This is about real world protections, right now. Because let’s face it, the status quo is not good enough. Our children’s safety matters more than clicks. And if these companies cannot change that – I will.
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Sir Keir Starmer is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras.
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