UK child-safety plans include mandatory AI chatbot breaks; no VPN ban
By Patricia Figueiredo ( July 15, 2026, 15:40 GMT | Insight) -- AI chatbot providers and social media platforms will face new UK child safety duties, including mandatory breaks for under-18s using chatbots and default social media curfews for 16- and 17-year-olds under government plans unveiled on Wednesday. VPN services will not be banned or age-gated for now, with platforms instead expected to prevent circumvention. Detailed definitions and implementation rules remain to be set out.AI chatbot providers and social media companies will face different new duties under the UK government’s latest child safety plans, including introducing mandatory chatbot breaks for users under 18, and deactivating certain social media features by default for any user aged 16 or 17....
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