British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will seek broader powers to regulate internet access, saying stronger action is needed to protect children from rapidly evolving digital risks.
Starmer said on Sunday that technology is changing fast and the law must keep pace.
“Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up,” he said in a statement.
Last month, the British government announced it would consult on an Australian-style ban on social media for children under 16. Since then, Spain, Greece and Slovenia have also said they are planning similar bans.
Starmer’s office said the new powers could reduce parliamentary scrutiny over future restrictions, but argued the change is necessary so the government can act quickly.
It said the goal is to ensure that after the review, Britain can implement findings within months rather than waiting years for new legislation every time technology evolves.
The government also announced that more AI chatbots will be included under a ban on creating sexualised images without the subject’s consent, expanding measures previously linked to concerns around Elon Musk’s chatbot Grok.
The changes will be introduced through amendments to existing crime and child-protection legislation currently being considered by parliament.
While the measures are aimed at child safety, officials acknowledged they could have wider implications for adult privacy and access to online services, and may increase tensions with the United States over free speech and regulatory reach.
In recent years, some websites have restricted access to British users due to tighter age-verification rules. Image-hosting platform Imgur blocked access in the UK last year, displaying blank images instead. Some major pornography sites have also blocked British users, arguing that age verification could be invasive and insecure.
The government said its consultation will also examine possible age restrictions on virtual private networks, or VPNs, which can be used to bypass geographic online restrictions.