UK Eyes Under-16 Social Media Ban, Tightens Online Safety Laws

• Prime Minister Keir Starmer pledges faster action to plug gaps in online safety laws, ensuring no social media platform gets a "free pass" on child protection.
• Government to create new legal powers for immediate action following a public consultation in March, addressing "addictive elements of social media."
• Proposed changes expand the Online Safety Act to cover newer technologies like AI chatbots and amend the Crime and Policing Bill to protect users from illegal content.
• Consultation to examine a social media ban for under-16s; opposition parties criticize the government for inaction and delaying firm measures.
• Reforms include "Jools' Law" requiring tech companies to preserve relevant data within five days if linked to a child's death, addressing concerns about deleted crucial information.