UK defends online safety in US trade talks, sidesteps pledge on AI regulation
By Patricia Figueiredo ( November 9, 2026, 17:15 GMT | Insight) -- Online safety protections aren’t up for negotiation in trade talks with the US, the UK government said in a statement on Monday, while stopping short of pledging to preserve its freedom to regulate AI. It pointed instead to oversight by existing regulators and efforts to work with other countries in such "global questions." Lawmakers had urged a commitment not to trade away the UK's freedom to regulate AI, digital services taxes and online safety when negotiating with the US.Online safety protections aren’t up for negotiation in trade talks with the US, the UK government insisted, but it stopped short of an explicit pledge to maintain its freedom to regulate AI systems....
Prepare for tomorrow’s regulatory change, today
MLex identifies risk to business wherever it emerges, with specialist reporters across the globe providing exclusive news and deep-dive analysis on the proposals, probes, enforcement actions and rulings that matter to your organization and clients, now and in the longer term.
Know what others in the room don’t, with features including:
- Daily newsletters for Antitrust, M&A, Trade, Data Privacy & Security, Technology, AI and more
- Custom alerts on specific filters including geographies, industries, topics and companies to suit your practice needs
- Predictive analysis from expert journalists across North America, the UK and Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific
- Curated case files bringing together news, analysis and source documents in a single timeline
Experience MLex today with a 14-day free trial.