Overview
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will ask Parliament for Henry VIII–style powers to impose a platform age floor potentially up to 16, curb infinite scroll and autoplay, and restrict children’s VPN use.
- Ministers say they will close a legal gap by bringing AI chatbots under Online Safety Act rules on illegal content, with changes intended to take effect within months following a consultation.
- Spain’s Council of Ministers invoked Article 8 to request that the public prosecutor investigate X, Meta and TikTok over possible creation or dissemination of AI-generated child sexual content.
- In Germany, the governing SPD proposes a ban for under-14s and restricted ‘youth’ versions for ages 14–16 with verified parental consent and limited personalization, as Chancellor Friedrich Merz voices cautious support for tighter controls.
- Australia’s under-16 law is shaping a broader international shift, with countries such as India reviewing new restrictions even as privacy, enforcement and evasion concerns remain unresolved.