UK government carrying out 3 month consultation into children’s digital wellbeing

The UK government has launched what it describes as a “landmark” and highly ambitious three-month public consultation to shape future policies on children’s digital wellbeing. It is seeking views from parents, carers, young people, academics and professionals who work with children on how to better protect them across social media, gaming platforms and AI chatbots. Building on the Online Safety Act 2023, the consultation will examine how technology affects children’s daily lives and aims to identify practical ways to create safer, healthier online experiences. A wide range of potential measures is under consideration, including introducing a minimum age (potentially 16) for social media use, restricting addictive features such as infinite scrolling, setting curfews, strengthening age verification, and limiting children’s access to AI chatbots. The government also plans to work with parents to run live pilots with young people, ensuring decisions are grounded in real-world evidence as well as public input. Running until 26th May 2026, the consultation’s findings could inform significant new regulations and mark a major step in efforts to reduce online harms and improve children’s relationship with digital technology. Read more here.