Latest UK social media safety package leaves plenty of questions unanswered
By Patricia Figueiredo ( July 16, 2026, 16:03 GMT | Comment) -- The latest UK child safety legislative package confirms default curfews and feature restrictions for older teens, mandatory AI chatbot breaks for under-18s and no immediate plans to restrict VPN use. But key questions remain over which services are covered, how the measures will be implement and how they will interact with Ofcom’s existing regime, leaving the government’s promised “Australia Plus” model far from settled.Announcing a UK social media ban for under-16s last month, ministers repeatedly said the headline move would be accompanied by a broader set of measures to improve children's online safety....
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