Sir Keir Starmer will summon senior figures from TikTok, X, and Meta at Downing Street this week to demand greater action on child protection as the government considers new online restrictions.
The prime minister said the talks on Thursday are aimed at “making sure social media companies step up and take responsibility”, warning of “stark” consequences should they fail to act.
The meeting comes amid a government consultation exploring measures such as an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s, limits on addictive features and enhanced controls for AI chatbots.
Leaders from Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, Elon Musk’s X, Snap, TikTok, and Google (owner of YouTube) are expected to face questioning from Sir Keir and technology secretary Liz Kendall regarding their efforts to safeguard children and address parental concerns.
The government faces increasing pressure to emulate Australia’s approach, with opposition MPs advocating for Tory peer John Nash’s amendment to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which seeks to bar under-16s from the most harmful platforms.
While previously hesitant about an outright ban, Sir Keir has indicated a willingness to tackle features like infinite scrolling that keep young users engaged.
Ahead of the talks, the Labour leader said: “Social media shapes how children see themselves, their friendships and the world around them. When that comes with real risks, looking the other way is not an option.
“Parents rightly expect action and fast. That’s why we’ve already taken the powers needed to move quickly once our consultation ends.
“I will take whatever steps necessary to keep children safe online. Today is about making sure social media companies step up and take responsibility.
“The consequences of failing to act are stark. We owe it to parents, and to the next generation, to put children’s safety first – because they won’t forgive us if we don’t.”
Some social media firms have already ramped up protective measures such as disabling autoplay for younger users, giving parents more control over screen time and introducing curfews, but the prime minister has said they must go further, No 10 said.
A ban for under-16s has received pushback from the industry, with Google’s UK boss warning that it is not the “right approach” and could push children towards more dangerous corners of the internet.
Kate Alessi, managing director and vice-president of Google UK and Ireland, told the Press Association last month: “We believe blanket bans take choices away from parents and push kids out of supervised spaces.”
Lord Nash, a Conservative former schools minister, has said recent court cases in the US which found social media platforms liable for designing addictive platforms and exposing children to harmful content were “game changers” for his cause of introducing an age limit.
The government has promised to move quickly once its Growing Up In The Online World consultation closes on 26 May, with changes to be made within months.
It has already received more than 45,000 responses, including from nearly 6,000 young people, according to Downing Street.