The Prime Minister has been considering what action to take after a three-month consultation on an Australian-style social ban on children under 16.
There is growing speculation that Sir Keir will opt for a so-called “Australian-plus” model with a ban on a wider range of sites combined with restrictions on “addictive” features and tougher age checks to prevent children circumventing the rules.
Sir Keir is said to be carving out policies to provide him with a “legacy” as he faces the threat of a leadership challenge from Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor who is favourite to secure a return to Parliament in the Makerfield by-election in less than two weeks’ time.
However, the children’s commissioner has proposed that any social media ban should be extended to 16- and 17-year-olds
Dame Rachel de Souza has said that any ban must apply “equally to all children” up to 18.
She also urged Sir Keir Starmer to draw up a list of features that tech firms would be forced to ban because they encourage children to stay online, put them at risk of seeing harmful content or enable them to be contacted by strangers.
The Prime Minister is expected to announce the first stage of the crackdown on Monday with tech companies being forced to install software that makes it impossible for children to take or share nude images.
If businesses including Google and Apple fail to comply within three months, Sir Keir will say legislation will be introduced that would mean the companies could face fines, regulations on phone sales to children or criminal sanctions....<<<Read More>>>....
