Rishi Sunak plans to curb social media usage for under-16 people
Rishi Sunak plans to curb social media usage for under-16 people
By: Pune Pulse
December 16, 2023
Pune: The UK government, led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is investigating possible ways and measures to curtail the use of social media for children aged under 16 years.
As per information, ministers intend to start a consultation as early as January to gather data regarding the extent of possible harm that children could suffer from using social media.
Discussions are still in their early stages, and the policy may not be implemented in the end. One of the individuals stated that although bans were being discussed, it was unlikely that they would be incorporated into the final plan. Another stated that options had not been ruled out for actions like a ban or better parental control.
A spokesperson for the UK PM said that they are looking broadly at this issue of keeping children safe online.
The Online Safety Act, which was recently passed in the UK, increases the obligation of businesses providing user-to-user services to safeguard individuals, especially children, online. This responsibility includes age verification requirements.
The National Crime Agency has issued a warning to British parents regarding their children’s use of Facebook, following Meta Platform Inc.’s decision to implement encrypted messaging, which has sparked worries about their safety.
The minister of schools, Damian Hinds, asked Meta to ‘rethink its decision’ on Thursday. Hinds stated that it’s not about protecting people’s privacy. This really comes down to the ability to catch people abusing children, look into it, and eventually prosecute them.
Shreyas Vange
