Parents warned social media reforms will not be ‘one and achieved’ as tech tempo surges
Ministers will soon announce new online safety measures for youngsters, including a possible ban for under 16s for apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok – but it won’t be the end of the issue
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said her ‘objective is to give kids the healthiest possible start online’(Image: Jam Press/EE)
Liz Kendall has warned the public that upcoming plans to crack down on kids’ social media usage will not mean the issue is “one and done”.
The Technology Secretary said she wants to protect kids from “harms and risks” online but also to prepare them for a life that will involve technology in some way in the future.
Keir Starmer will soon announce new online safety measures for youngsters, which is expected to include a ban for under 16s for apps like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Asked about the UK mirroring an Australian-style ban, Ms Kendall said the UK’s consultation has looked at a wider range of issues, including how kids can partner with strangers on gaming sites, addictive design features like infinite scrolling or AI chatbots.
But she continued: “Technology is developing so fast. Anybody in this world who thinks that it is one and done will be wrong because the technology is always changing.
“So I’m acutely aware of the need for government – any government – will have to be continually looking at these issues in the years to come because this technology is traveling so fast.
“My objective is to give kids the healthiest possible start online; to protect them from harms and risks; to prepare them for the future because they are going to be on this.”
Ms Kendall spoke to reporters on Monday after giving a speech on artificial intelligence at the Science Museum. She said she wants society to embrace the opportunities tech can bring but admitted she must tackle the public’s fears, including the impact of social media on kids and the AI threat on entry-level jobs.
“We actually want to seize the opportunities of tech and AI and people won’t do it if they think their job’s at risk or their children are at risk, so it is because I can see this massive potential for AI to cure diseases,” she said.
Over the weekend, Ms Kendall launched the Early Careers Jobs Alliance – led by union and AI experts – to understand how entry-level jobs could change due to AI. It will at first focus on digital and tech jobs before expanding to other industrial strategy sectors, with the first report published this autumn.
An AI bootcamp scheme will also be rolled out across England to provide a path to work for young people who are at risk of becoming unemployed and out of education and training.
In a speech at the Science Museum, Ms Kendall admitted young people have the most fears about suffering due to AI. She said: “A clear majority of the public think AI will reduce more jobs than create or enhance them.
“These concerns are particularly acute among young people, with only one in 10 believing the benefits of AI will be shared fairly across society. A key driver of this is the potential impact of AI on early job and career opportunities. Those of us who believe in the immense potential of AI to improve people’s lives must take these concerns seriously.”
After her speech, Ms Kendall added to reporters: “Bottom line is. Talent is everywhere, opportunity is not. I have always believed the only way we succeed as individuals and as families and as a country is if we can draw on the talent of everybody.
“And I will not rest until we break down those barriers to success. AI has got some incredible potential, and I want kids in Wigan and Westminster and Bournemouth and Birmingham and Blackburn to all have these chances to succeed. That is my mission, and I am determined to deliver.”
