BRITISH Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called for expanded government powers to regulate internet access, arguing that rapid technological change requires the law to keep pace in order to shield children from evolving digital dangers.
Speaking on Sunday, Starmer said, “Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up.”
Reuters reported on Monday that the announcement comes after the government last month proposed an Australian-style social media ban for children under the age of 16, a policy that has since inspired similar proposals in Spain, Greece, and Slovenia.
Starmer’s office indicated that the new powers would reduce parliamentary scrutiny of future online restrictions, allowing the government to act on review findings “within months, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation every time technology evolves.”
Under the proposed amendments, AI chatbots will also fall under a ban on creating sexualised images without consent, extending measures previously applied to Elon Musk’s Grok platform. These changes will be incorporated into existing crime and child protection legislation currently under consideration in Parliament.
While the measures are designed to protect minors, experts warn they may have broader implications for adult privacy and online access, potentially intensifying tensions with the United States over free speech and the regulatory reach of the UK.
In practice, some internet platforms have already responded to stricter age-verification rules. Image-hosting site Imgur, widely used for memes and online discussions, blocked access to all British users last year, replacing content with blank images. Certain pornography websites have similarly restricted access rather than implement verification, citing privacy concerns and security risks.
The government has acknowledged that geographic restrictions can be bypassed using virtual private networks (VPNs) and confirmed that consultations on child safety will also explore potential age limits for VPN use.
Starmer’s push for faster, more flexible digital regulation underscores the government’s emphasis on protecting children online, even as the approach raises complex questions about privacy, enforcement, and the balance between safety and freedom in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. - February 16, 2026
