The “world’s most ambitious” consultation on social media?
On Monday 2 March 2026 the UK government opened what is described as the “world’s most ambitious” consultation on social media. The aim was to gather views from the public on how to protect children online from what the Government perceived as risks arising from social media, AI chatbots, and gaming platforms.
From an AI perspective, the consultation focuses on one key question: should children be able to use AI chatbots without restriction?
This is broken down at questions 26 to 30 of the consultation to consider:
- What benefits there are to children using AI chatbots?
- Which features of AI chatbots are most risky for children?
- Which functionalities of AI chatbots should a minimum age restriction apply to?
- Should AI chatbots have a minimum age restriction at all?
- What impact introducing age restrictions on AI chatbots, or certain features of them, would have on children?
Whilst the consultation acknowledges the positive benefits that using generative AI can have for children, such as by supporting personalised learning and driving creativity, its focus is on addressing the risks it poses to them. The consultation states that a significant number of children are seeking advice from generative AI and using it because they feel they have no one else to talk to. It also suggests that children are developmentally at a higher risk of forming parasocial attachments to chatbots, which can lead them to treat chatbots as friends, confidants or even intimate partners.
Alongside the formal consultation, the government has launched what it calls one of its “most wide-ranging national conversations on a public issue in recent years”. This will feature community events, influencer roundtables, and engagement with schools and civil society organisations.
The government is keen to ensure that the young people, who will be impacted by the outcome of this consultation, have their voices heard. A dedicated version of the consultation has been developed in the form of a survey which can be found here. A separate survey has also been developed to make the consultation more accessible for parents and carers of young people.
The consultation is open for responses until 26 May 2026.
In the consultation, the government notes that they are planning to act quickly, with a response to the gathered evidence promised for this summer. They also refer to two recently announced proposals aimed at fast-tracking any legislative reform.
Firstly, amendment 429A to the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently before Parliament, would grant the Secretary of State for DCMS broad powers to amend the Online Safety Act 2023 (the “OSA”) through secondary legislation, in order to address harms arising from illegal AI-generated content. This would give the Secretary of State the power to force AI chatbot providers to comply with the Act's duties to moderate and prevent illegal content, closing a loophole that previously exempted private chatbots.
Secondly, amendment 37 to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which is also currently before Parliament, has been tabled. This amendment has broad powers to make regulations to prevent or restrict children’s access to specified internet services.
These powers could enable ministers to shape legislation within months in an attempt to keep pace with technological advancements. However, a salutary warning should be sounded here. The last major piece of legislation in this area, the OSA, took years to pass through Parliament and was reformulated may times. Moreover, the very fact that this consultation is taking place suggests that the legislation is incomplete and/or already out of date. Whether an expedited legislative process would help or hinder the efficacy of any resulting legislative scheme remains to be seen.
