Tag: online safety

PM calls social media companies into Downing Street

The Prime Minister will say “looking the other way is not an option” as he brings senior leaders of major social media companies – Meta, Snap, Google (YouTube), TikTok and X – to Downing Street today to press for progress on one of the most urgent issues affecting children today.

  • Prime Minister calls senior leaders from some of the biggest social media companies into Downing Street
  • Follows government taking powers to act quickly once its consultation concludes, including on measures to protect kids from social media harms
  • PM puts children’s safety first and tells companies this is the time to meet the moment, address parents’ concerns and prepare for next steps

The Prime Minister will say “looking the other way is not an option” as he brings senior leaders of major social media companies – Meta, Snap, Google (YouTube), TikTok and X – to Downing Street today to press for progress on one of the most urgent issues affecting children today.

For parents, the stakes could not be higher – this is about whether children grow up supported and safe online or exposed to harm with no one taking responsibility. When it comes to keeping young people safe online, the Prime Minister has been clear this is not a question of if the government will act, but how.

Throughout the government’s consultation, he has heard first hand from parents on the worries they have about the growing grip of social media on their children’s lives and the need for greater support.

The Prime Minister has said his government will not sit on its hands after the consultation, but instead has acted swiftly to take the legislative powers needed to move quickly once it has concluded to deliver change within months, not years.

Some social media companies have already stepped up by putting in place protections like disabling autoplay for children by default and giving parents greater control over screen time and introducing curfews. But the Prime Minister has argued we must go further to protect children and meet the moment.

During today’s meeting, the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary will set out the government’s principles and values when it comes to protecting children, and press for answers from companies on what they are doing to keep children safe online and responding to families’ concerns.

Ahead of the meeting, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Social media shapes how children see themselves, their friendships and the world around them. When that comes with real risks, looking the other way is not an option.

“Parents rightly expect action and fast. That’s why we’ve already taken the powers needed to move quickly once our consultation ends.

“I will take whatever steps necessary to keep children safe online. Today is about making sure social media companies step up and take responsibility.

“The consequences of failing to act are stark. We owe it to parents, and to the next generation, to put children’s safety first – because they won’t forgive us if we don’t.”

https://twitter.com/i/status/2028788258843328611

The meeting comes halfway through the government’s consultation, Growing Up in the Online World, which has so far received more than 45,000 responses to proposals aimed at protecting children’s wellbeing online.

With around six weeks left before the consultation closes on 26 May, the government is urging parents and children to get involved and help shape the next steps.

The consultation is the most ambitious of its kind in the world. It explores key questions including whether to introduce a minimum age for social media, limits on addictive design features, and stronger safeguards around AI chatbots for young people.

Almost 6,000 young people have already taken part, and more than 80 organisations – including schools, charities and community groups – have participated in engagement sessions with ministers and officials in recent months.

Take part in the national consultation: https://gov.uk/growing-up-online

Egg-cellent time for chatting with your kids about what they’re seeing online this Easter

As millions of children enjoy the Easter holidays, the government is stepping up to take the pressure off parents battling to keep their children safe online

  • Parents can access the government’s free ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ campaign, which provides practical tools and conversation starters to help families talk about harmful online content over the school holidays
  • The government is taking tough action to make tech platforms do more to protect children online, with a landmark consultation open until 26 May setting out proposals including minimum age limits for social media and overnight curfews on addictive features
  • New government guidance published last week sets out clear, judgement-free advice on healthy screen time for children under 5

THIS Easter weekend there’s plenty of time for chocolate eggs, family time, and, let’s be honest, a whole lot of screen time.

Parents across the country are navigating that daily balancing act with screens – wondering what their children are seeing, how much time they’re spending online, and whether they’re doing enough to keep them safe. It’s a lot to carry, and it shouldn’t all fall on families.

That’s why the government is preparing to take tough action to make tech platforms take responsibility – and at the same time giving parents the free, practical tools they’ve been asking for, so they feel supported rather than on their own.

The landmark consultation on children’s online safety, which is open right now, sets out some of the most ambitious proposals ever put forward by any government – including minimum age limits for social media, overnight curfews on addictive features like infinite scrolling and autoplay, and tighter restrictions on AI chatbots for young people.

The government has promised to act quickly on the findings, and new legal powers mean ministers can move within months rather than waiting years for new legislation. The response has already been significant, over 38,000 people have had their say in just the first month since it launched. The consultation closes on 26 May and there are dedicated versions for both parents and young people – so this is a real chance for families to shape what happens next.

Online Safety Minister, Kanishka Narayan, said: “I’ve been hearing from parents and children across the country, and it’s clear this matters deeply to families. Platforms must be held accountable – and they will be. We are taking action to make sure they meet their responsibilities.

“But I’ve also heard that parents want support, not just reassurance. Regulation alone won’t change culture overnight, and that’s why we’re giving families free, practical tools to have those conversations at home. We want every family to feel equipped and confident, not overwhelmed.”

Alongside this, the government is also reminding parents about its ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ campaign, a no-nonsense and free toolkit packed with practical advice to help mums and dads feel confident starting those conversations, without it turning into a row at the dinner table.

Over 120,000* families have already visited the campaign website since it launched in February, with thousands** setting weekly reminders to check in with their children about what they’re seeing online.

With the school holidays here, there’s never been a better time to take five minutes to explore what your children are seeing online. A simple question can go a long way and the government’s free guidance is there to help when you need it.

You can access the free ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ guidance at Help your child stay safe online – Kids Online Safety. The screen time guidance is available at the Best Start in Life website. To take part in the consultation, visit GOV.UK.

NSPCC calls for mandatory tech to block child sexual abuse images in real time

Offences in Scotland reach record levels

The NSPCC is urging tech companies to embed technology on children’s phones that blocks nude images from being created, shared or viewed – and for the UK Government to take further action if they fail to. 

This comes as the charity reveals child sexual abuse image crimes logged by Police Scotland reached record levels last year, with more than 828 offences in 2024/25 -11% higher than the previous year.

Data obtained by the NSPCC from police forces across the UK, revealed that between 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 there were 36,829 recorded offences of indecent and prohibited images of children across the UK. 

Across the 42 forces that provided data for both years, the number of offences increased by 9%.

Moreover, of the 10,811 crimes where law enforcement1 recorded the platform used by perpetrators, 43% took place on Snapchat alone – a total of 4,615.

Overall, Meta platforms still accounted for almost a quarter of all offences (24%), with 8% on Instagram, 7% on WhatsApp, 5% on Facebook and 4% on Messenger. However, the figures in relation to these platforms only paint part of the picture, as end-to-end-encryption (E2EE) means the scale of abuse children are experiencing online is hidden – preventing detection and leading to under-reporting on these platforms.

Without adequate safety features designed to keep children safe online across all platforms, many young people are exposed to the risk of grooming, extortion, online child sexual abuse and having intimate images shared – all of which can have a devastating impact on a child’s life, sometimes well into adulthood. 

One 17-year-old boy who contacted Childline* said, “I shared a nude online and it was leaked, so everyone at school saw it. I was in a really bad way, so I moved schools. The nude pictures still come up as random people message me and blackmail me with them. I’m worried about my new friends seeing them and how the leaked nudes will impact my career in the future.” 

The UK Government committed in the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Strategy to work with tech companies to stop children in the UK from taking or sharing nude images. This new data makes it clear that tech companies are failing to prioritise young people’s safety across their platforms.

The NSPCC believes that tech companies must act now and embed effective protections for children. They argue that using existing technologies on children’s phones that blocks illegal images in real time would help prevent these crimes from happening in the first place. 

If companies do not act, the UK Government must make these safeguards mandatory to ensure every child is protected from this abuse online.

This is one of the three recommendations the charity has pushed the Government to implement to make children safe – to go further in protecting children online than a social media ban alone. 

Chris Sherwood, CEO at the NSPCC, said: “Children across the UK are being completely failed by tech companies that should be protecting them online. We cannot keep letting them off the hook when they can do more to prevent this from happening in the first place.

“Behind every one of these offences is a child who has been groomed, abused and manipulated. They are left to carry the trauma, whilst tech companies continue to profit handsomely.  

“Technology already exists that could be deployed today to stop children from taking, sharing or receiving nude images. So, the real question is: what’s stopping them? If they continue to drag their feet, Government must show their might by stepping in and compelling them to act”.

Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk. Childline is available to all young people until their 19th birthday.

Report Remove is available in the UK to anyone under 18 to confidentially report and remove sexual images or videos of themselves from the internet.

This initiative, a collaboration between Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), offers a secure and anonymous way for young people to take control of their online presence and safety.

Molly vs The Machines highlights the dangers of social media and what needs to be done to keep us safe

Molly vs The Machines is a new documentary premiering on Channel 4. It tells the story of a young girl who died by suicide after being influenced by negative social media algorithms, and her dad, who is now fighting for online safety.

This encourages an important national conversation on how we keep people safe online. Samaritans supports the pressure put on platforms to make their content safe for everyone.

Why making safe online spaces is so important

The dangers that exist online when it comes to suicide and self-harm related content raises the bigger questions of how AI, Big Tech, and social media are negatively infiltrating our lives.

If we want the internet to be a safer space, especially for individuals experiencing distress, things need to change.

But how can we do that?

Putting pressure on platforms for positive impact

Samaritans believe that dangerous self-harm and suicide content, such as graphic images, should be taken down by platforms as they can cause serious harm.

Platforms have a duty to keep their users safe and should never actively push dangerous content onto their algorithms.

That’s why it’s vital that platforms recognise and respond to the vital role they play in suicide prevention.

If users are intentionally looking for this kind of content, the platforms must minimise the availability of harmful content and maximise opportunities for improved help-seeking.

They should highlight helpful resources, share stories of recovery, and signpost to services like Samaritans. And they should also recognise that protections should be further endorsed for the safety of young people.

Keeping young people safe

Someone looking at their mobile phone

It is the age of the internet. And young people are used to having phones and tablets and computers within arm’s reach, all the time. But how do we make sure that what they are consuming is safe and appropriate?

Molly vs The Machines really highlights the importance of parents and caregivers being aware of the risks of social media.

And while some platforms do have restrictions like age limits for who can join and/or sign up, that doesn’t always mean that the content will automatically be age appropriate.

Parents and caregivers need to be informed of the risks so that they can have open and honest conversations with their children about what they’re consuming, how to stay safe, and what to look out for.

To find out more information, check out our guide, talking to your child about self-harm and suicide content online.

Charity Children First says must-watch documentary drama Molly vs the Machines is a powerful and harrowing wake up call to parents and carers

Commenting in advance of the screening of Molly vs the Machines on Channel 4, last night, Mary Glasgow, Chief Executive of Children First, Scotland’s national charity said: “This must-watch documentary drama is a powerful and harrowing wake up call to parents and carers to demand that tech firms prioritise the protection of our children over lining their own pockets.

“Parents are already extremely worried about the children’s safety in the digital world, but what Molly vs the Machines exposes is the extremity and volume of harmful content that big tech are knowingly targeting to children and young people, which many adults won’t be aware of.

“The consequences for children, childhood and public health are horrifying, but change is possible. Technology firms could stop this tomorrow. Action is needed at every level to regulate, educate and create the cultural and policy shifts that are needed nationally and internationally so that every child can thrive on and off-line.”

Any parent or carer in Scotland worried about their child can contact Children First’s support line on 08000 28 22 33 or visit www.childrenfirst.org.uk/supportline to start a webchat.

“No platform gets a free pass”: UK Government takes action to keep children safe online

Westminster Government will give parents and carers greater clarity and support as the Prime Minister announces immediate action to make the online world safer for children

  • PM announces new powers to act within months to keep children safe amid rapid technology changes
  • New action will ensure no platform gets a free pass – as government today will close loopholes that put children at risk, and lays the groundwork for further, faster action
  • PM leads new crackdown on AI chatbots to protect people from illegal content

The UK Government will give parents and carers greater clarity and support as the Prime Minister announces immediate action to make the online world safer for children.

Speaking to parents and young people later today [Monday 16 February], the Prime Minister will make clear this government will act at pace to keep kids safe online as they navigate a digital world that did not exist a generation ago, and one that is shaped by powerful platforms, addictive design and fast-moving technologies.

The new measures announced today include crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI. The government will move fast to shut a legal loophole and force all AI chatbot providers to abide by illegal content duties in the Online Safety Act or face the consequences of breaking the law. This will ensure the Act keeps up with rapidly evolving harms.

This follows government action to call out abhorrent non-consensual intimate images being shared on Grok, which subsequently led to the function being removed.

The Prime Minister will also make clear today that his government is taking new legal powers to lay the groundwork for immediate action following its consultation on children’s wellbeing online. The Government is committed to following the evidence, and these powers will mean we can act fast on its findings within months, rather than waiting years for new primary legislation every time technology evolves.

That means being able to act quickly on measures like setting a minimum age limit for social media and restricting features like infinite scrolling that are harmful, in line with the consultation. The law is crystal clear: the distribution of nude images of children is already illegal. But the government will also consult on how best to ensure tech companies can safeguard children from sending or receiving such images in the first place.

The consultation will also confront the full range of risks children face online. This includes examining restrictions on children’s use of AI chatbots, as well as options to age restrict or limit children’s VPN use where it undermines safety protections and changing the age of digital consent.

The government will also strengthen protections for families facing the most devastating circumstances, by ensuring that vital data following a child’s death is preserved before it can be deleted, except in cases where online activity is clearly not relevant to the death.

This marks a clear shift in how the UK approaches child online safety, meaning the UK can continue to be a world leader in keeping children safe online.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “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.

“The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass. 

“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action.

“We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “I know that parents across the country want us to act urgently to keep their children safe online. That’s why I stood up to Grok and Elon Musk when they flouted British laws and British values. 

“We will not wait to take the action families need, so we will tighten the rules on AI chatbots and we are laying the ground so we can act at pace on the results of the consultation on young people and social media.

“We are determined to give children the childhood they deserve and to prepare them for the future at time of rapid technological change.”

The children’s digital wellbeing consultation will launch next month and will be guided by what parents and children say they need now, not in several years’ time.

Ministers are already engaging with parents, young people and civil society groups, and the message has been consistent and clear that parents want support and fast.

To help parents immediately, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has launched the ‘You Won’t Know until You Ask’ campaign. It offers practical guidance on safety settings, conversation prompts parents can use with their children, and age‑appropriate advice on dealing with harmful content, including misogynistic material and ragebait.

Chris Sherwood, NSPCC CEO, said: “We welcome the Prime Minister’s promise to act quickly and decisively to hold tech companies to account and make the online world safer for children. The status quo can’t continue, and without real change the pressure for an under‑16 social media ban will only increase.

“Much of what is being proposed mirrors what we have been pressing for: proper age‑limit enforcement, an end to addictive design, and stronger action from platforms, devices, and AI tools to stop harmful content at the source. Delivered swiftly, these measures would offer far better protection than a blanket ban.

“We also strongly support putting children’s voices at the centre of this debate. They understand both the benefits and risks of being online and – after their insights have been overlooked in discussions so far – their experiences must now help guide the decisions made in the months ahead.

“We need urgent action and an ambitious agenda if the Government is going to take on tech bosses and make a difference for children and young people.”

Andy Burrows, Chief Executive of Molly Rose Foundation, said: “Parents are right to demand urgent action on online safety, and we strongly welcome the Government’s ambition to move quickly and decisively to tackle appalling and preventable harm. 

“This announcement should reassure parents that change is on the way. It means that children and families could see much needed safety improvements within months, including action against high-risk AI Chatbots and new measures to prevent girls from being coerced into sending nude photos.  

“This a welcome downpayment but the Prime Minister must now go further. Sir Keir Starmer should commit to a new Online Safety Act that strengthens regulation and that makes clear that product safety and children’s wellbeing is the cost of doing business in the UK.”

Resources created by young people in Scotland will help make online world safer

New educational tools to help children and young people understand the risks of the online world including artificial intelligence, online bullying and misinformation have been launched.

The resources have been developed by a group of young people from across Scotland to help keep children safe online. It is part of a project called ‘Amplifying Child Safety Online’, being delivered by the NSPCC in partnership with the Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP).

The work is being led by 10 young people, including Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYPs), who have called themselves Digital Safety Ambassadors.

They have created a set of videos, posters and an educational session plan to support children and young people and professionals who work with them, with child safety online.

To produce these tools, they led workshops with groups of young people from regions across Scotland over the past 12 months, to explore their experiences of being online and the challenges they face in staying safe.

Other topics the groups have discussed include social media and body image, grooming and talking with strangers, hate speech, scams, and keeping personal information private.

The Digital Safety Ambassadors also worked with the NSPCC’s Voice of Online Youth, a group of 14 young people aged 13-17 from across the UK, and youth engagement groups in Northern Ireland and Wales to identify common issues across the devolved nations and ensure that young people’s voices and their views about online safety are heard and considered.

They hosted an online event last November to showcase the child online safety tools they have developed. This marked an important step in connecting young people’s lived experiences with those in positions of power. With the project now available to the wider public, the co-designed materials will be used to raise awareness of the risks young people face online, and support influencing opportunities with decision-makers.  

Catriona, MSYP for Falkirk East, said: “I got involved in this project because young people are online so much and social media is such a core part of our lives, so it’s an important topic to target.

“Young people should be safe online, but this isn’t the case. The online world and social media can be a great thing, and I don’t think we should stop young people from using it, but more needs to be done by tech companies and politicians to make sure children don’t see inappropriate content.

“I hope this project can make people more aware of the issues that children face online and they are vulnerable to harm.”

Arianna Gagnon, MSYP for Clydebank and Milngavie and Digital Safety Ambassador, said: “Online safety is such an important issue because young people get exposed to inappropriate content.

“We need to be aware of risks because we’ve grown up with the digital world and it’s a significant part of our lives.

“I hope this project helps to create a safer space online for young people. We’d like to make decision makers more aware of what young people are experiencing online and to realise that online safety is a big issue. I don’t think it’s a big enough priority just now.”

Joanna Barrett, NSPCC Associate Head of Policy for the Nations, said: “Children have a right to be safe online and to have their voices heard on the issues that matter most to them. 

“This project has provided an opportunity for the young people to make their views and insights on tackling online harms and improving digital safety heard by decision-makers and those with responsibility for child safety online.

“We hope this will empower decision-makers to shape policy and practice that reflects the realities facing young people online.”

Mary-Martha Dickie, MSYP for Girlguiding Scotland and Digital Safety Ambassador, said: “I first got involved in the project because I noticed how reliant we are towards social media and the potential risks it creates.

“It’s been great to meet with a wide range of young people and work together to find out how we can enjoy the online environment whilst ensuring our safety is guaranteed.”

Nathi, Digital Safety Ambassador, said: “I got involved in this project because I saw how social media really impacts young people – it’s part of our everyday lives.

“This project has helped me to see social media in a better light and recognise some of the risks. It’s been great to use our experiences to help other people.

“Hearing young people’s views from different regions of Scotland was so interesting. I was surprised by how knowledgeable they were on so many topics such as artificial intelligence, misinformation and body image.

“Young people aren’t safe online just now, especially younger audiences. We need to make it safer so they can still access it because it’s not all bad. It can also be useful for learning and studying.”

Sonia said: “A lot of young people aren’t aware of how to stay safe online.

“I think young people’s safety online needs to be more of a priority. Children are our future and it’s our duty to keep them safe.

“I’ve learned about the importance of taking responsibility by being part of this project and the value of participation. It’s great to get the chance to have an impact and I feel very grateful for the opportunity to do such valuable work.

“I hope decision makers listen to and take us seriously and that they introduce measures to make sure children are safer online in future.”

For more information about this project visit: NSPCC Child Safety Online

Amplifying-Child-Safety-Online-Supporting-ResourcesDownload

Secretary of State Liz Kendal’s statement after concerns over Grok AI

STATEMENT TO PARLIAMENT – 12 JANUARY 2026

With permission Madam Deputy Speaker, I would like to make a statement on AI, social media and online safety.  

No woman or child should live in fear of having their image sexually manipulated by technology.  

Yet in recent days, the Grok AI tool on the social media platform X has been used to create and share degrading, non-consensual intimate deepfakes.     

The content which has circulated on X is vile. It is not just an affront to decent society – it is illegal.   

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reports “criminal imagery” of children as young as 11, including girls sexualised and topless.  

This is Child Sexual Abuse.  

We’ve seen reports of photos being shared of women in bikinis, tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood. And much, much more. 

Lives can and have been devastated by this content, which is designed to harass, torment, and violate people’s dignity.   

They are not harmless images – they are weapons of abuse, disproportionately aimed at women and girls.  

And they are illegal.  

Last week, X limited the image creation function to paid subscribers.  

This does not go anywhere near far enough.  

It is insulting to victims to say you can still have this service if you are willing to pay.

And it is monetising abuse.  

So let me be crystal clear: sharing, or threatening to share, a deepfake intimate image without consent – including images of people in their underwear – is a criminal offence.    

Under the Online Safety Act, sharing images – or threatening to share them – is a criminal offence. For individuals, and for platforms.  

My predecessor – the Right Honourable Member for Hove and Portslade – made this a ‘priority offence’, so services have to take proactive action to stop this content from appearing in the first place.  

The Data Act, passed last year, made it a criminal offence to create – or request the creation of – non-consensual intimate images.  

And today, I can announce to the House that this offence will be brought into force this week and that I will make it a priority offence in the Online Safety Act too.  

This means individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create – or seek to create – such content – including on X – and anyone who does this should expect to face the full extent of the law.   

But the responsibilities do not just lie with individuals for their own behaviour.  

The platforms that host such material must be held accountable – including X.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, Ofcom this morning confirmed that they have opened a formal investigation into X and will assess their compliance with the Online Safety Act.     

The government expects Ofcom to set out a timeline for the investigation as soon as possible.  

The public – and most importantly, the victims of Grok’s activities – expect swift and decisive action. So this must not take months and months.  

But X doesn’t have to wait for the Ofcom investigation to conclude. They can choose to act sooner to ensure this abhorrent and illegal material cannot be shared on their platform.    

If they do not, Ofcom will have the backing of this government to use the full powers which Parliament has given them.  

And I would remind X – and all other platforms – that this includes the power to issue fines worth millions of dollars, or 10% of a company’s qualifying worldwide revenue.   

And in the most serious cases, Ofcom can apply for a court order to stop UK users accessing the site.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, this government will do everything in our power to keep women and especially children safe online.  

So I can today confirm that we will build on all the measures I have already outlined and legislate in the Crime and Policing Bill – which is currently going through Parliament – to criminalise nudification apps.  

This new criminal offence will make it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images, targeting the problem at its source.      

And in addition to all of these actions, we expect technology companies to introduce the steps recommended by Ofcom’s guidance on how to make platforms safer for women and girls without delay.  

And if they do not, I am prepared to go further.  

Because this government believes tackling violence against women and girls is as important online as it is in the real world.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, this is not – as some would claim – about restricting freedom of speech, something I and the whole government hold very dear.  

It is about tackling violence against women and girls.  

It’s about upholding basic British values of decency and respect, and ensuring the standards we expect offline are upheld online.  

And it is about exercising our sovereign power and responsibility to uphold the laws of the land.  

I hope this is a time when MPs on all sides of the House will stand up for British laws and British values and call out the platforms that allow explicit, degrading and illegal content.   

It is time to choose a side.  

If I may Madam Deputy Speaker, I would also like to address calls from MPs on all sides of this House for the government to end its participation on X.  

I understand why many colleagues have come to this conclusion when X seems so unwilling to clean up its act. The government will of course keep our participation under review.  

But our job is to protect women and girls from illegal and harmful content wherever it is found.  

It is also worth bearing in mind, with 19 million people on X in this country, and more than a quarter using it as their primary source of news, that our views – and often simply the facts – need to be heard.  

Madam Deputy Speaker, let me conclude by saying this.  

AI is a transformative technology which has the potential to bring about extraordinary and welcome change.  

Creating jobs and growth. Diagnosing and treating diseases. Helping children learn at school. Tackling climate change. And so much more besides.  

But in order to seize these opportunities, people must feel confident that they and their children are safe online and that AI is not used for destructive and abusive ends.  

Many tech companies want to and are acting responsibly. But when they do not, we must and we will act.  

Innovation should serve humanity; not degrade it.   

So we will leave no stone unturned in our determination to stamp out these demeaning, degrading and illegal images.   

If that means strengthening the existing laws, we are prepared to do so.   

Because this government stands on the side of decency.  

We stand on the side of the law.   

We stand for basic British values supported by the vast majority of people in this country.  

And I commend this statement to the House.

NO EXCUSES: Statement on xAI’s Grok image generation and editing tool

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall calls for swift action after reports xAI’s Grok tool continues to allow generation of intimate deepfake images

The Technology Secretary has commented on the changes xAI has implemented to its chatbot overnight, and government action to stamp out this form of abuse.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: “Sexually manipulating images of women and children is despicable and abhorrent. It is an insult and totally unacceptable for Grok to still allow this if you’re willing to pay for it. I expect Ofcom to use the full legal powers Parliament has given them.

“I, and more importantly the public – would expect to see Ofcom update on next steps in days not weeks.

“I would remind xAI that the Online Safety Act includes the power to block services from being accessed in the UK, if they refuse to comply with UK law. If Ofcom decide to use those powers they will have our full support.

“We will be banning nudification apps in the Crime and Policing Bill which is in parliament now.

“We are in the coming weeks bringing in to force powers to criminalise the creation of intimate images without consent.

“I expect all platforms to abide by Ofcom’s new Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) guidance and if they do not, I am prepared to go further.

“We are as determined to ensure women and girls are safe online as we are to ensure they are safe in the real world. No excuses.”

Free digital support sessions at Central Library!

Tuesday 18th & 25th November, 2:30 – 4:30pm

Get help with email, internet, apps, staying safe online & more from @LloydsBank volunteers

Book: getonline@edinburgh.gov.uk / 07716 702180

Drop-ins also welcome on the day

#digitalinclusion

Families at Edinburgh Zoo learn about online safety through NSPCC and LEGO Group partnership

Children and families at Edinburgh Zoo learned about online safety while playing with LEGO® bricks, thanks to a new partnership between the NSPCC and the LEGO Group. 

The event was the first of a series in Scotland as part of the Build & Talk campaign, which encourages important conversations with children on topics such as gaming, managing screentime and being kind online – all while being creative with LEGO bricks. 

Other upcoming Build & Talk events were scheduled for Fringe by the Sea in North Berwick and Play Day East Ayrshire in Kilmarnock today (August 6).  

NSPCC Scotland’s Local Campaigns team set up a stall at Edinburgh Zoo last week. Dozens of children and families visited the stall to have a go at some of the LEGO Group’s activities and talk about gaming safe online. 

At the stall, children were encouraged to take part in challenges such as building their favourite character from the game they were currently playing.  

Lou Chauvin, NSPCC Scotland Local Campaigns Officer, said: “It was wonderful to see so many families engage with online safety in a fun, natural way.

“By combining play and conversation, we’re helping parents and carers feel more confident talking to their children about life online—and children walk away with practical advice in a way they understand. 

“Edinburgh Zoo made for the perfect place to start our sessions in Scotland. We are incredibly grateful for their support in helping to spread this important message.” 

To find out more about the LEGO Group’s online safety activities and advice, click here, or to discover tips and guidance from the NSPCC regarding speaking to children about online safety, click here.