Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to formally announce a ban on under-16s using social media platforms as early as Monday.
The proposal includes a three-month ultimatum for tech giants like Apple and Google to activate software on children's devices that scans for and blocks nude images. Privacy-focused companies like Signal have threatened to exit the UK market, claiming these device-level checks are a form of mass surveillance that undermines encryption. While child safety advocates welcome the crackdown on "addictive" features, the White House has urged the UK to prioritize parental controls over blanket government bans.
New legislation is being drafted to hold tech executives personally liable, including potential jail time, if they fail to meet the September implementation deadline.
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