White House displeasure over the prospect of an under-16 social media ban will not deter the UK from cracking down on tech platforms, the British government has said.<\/p>\n
The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, told the Guardian she was not concerned \u201cin the slightest\u201d by the Trump administration\u2019s intervention in the debate over restrictions, after the US embassy in London posted a notice warning against a ban.<\/p>\n
Kendall added that nine out of 10 respondents to a government poll supported an under-16 ban.<\/p>\n
Kendall said she was \u201cvery happy to read any submission anybody makes\u201d but her priority was \u201cBritish young people\u201d. Kendall denied there was any tension between seeking investment into the UK from US AI companies and implementing regulations that affect major American tech firms.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think companies will continue investing in Britain,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy focus is on what is right for British parents and British families,\u201d Kendall added.<\/p>\n
The government is set to announce some form of social media ban for under-16s next week, alongside other restrictions such as a possible block on conversations with strangers on gaming platforms. Limits on AI chatbot use are also under consideration.<\/p>\n
Asked about the Trump administration\u2019s intervention, a Downing Street spokesperson said: \u201cWe will always act in the UK\u2019s national interest and protecting young people is no different.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a submission to a government consultation on online safety, the US government came out against \u201cprescribed one-size-fits-all government restrictions\u201d and \u201cblunt regulatory instruments\u201d to address online harms to children.<\/p>\n
The notice, published by the US embassy in London<\/a>, added that age-gating for 13- to 16-year-olds would not work. \u201cTechnical methods developed to distinguish minors from adults cannot simply be repurposed for younger thresholds,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n Instead, the Trump administration<\/a> called on the UK to give parents \u201crobust tools\u201d to manage their children\u2019s privacy settings and account controls, as well as requiring platforms to offer a healthy online experience \u201crather than outright bans\u201d.<\/p>\n The UK approach to online safety has been a source of tension<\/a> between the White House and Downing Street, with the Online Safety Act (OSA) attracting criticism from across the Atlantic because of free speech concerns. JD Vance, the US vice-president, has said free speech in the UK is \u201cin retreat\u201d, while one senior Republican congressman described the act as the \u201cUK\u2019s online censorship law\u201d.<\/p>\n The White House has expressed concern that the UK and EU are taking a legislative and regulatory path that singles out US tech firms. The US embassy notice said: \u201cWe have concerns about regulations that impose disproportionate compliance burdens on American companies or that apply to one platform but not similar services.\u201d<\/p>\n However, it is understood that ministers are mindful of the threat of a judicial review of the process. Plans for restrictions have been drawn up quickly, ready for an announcement next week, following the end of a consultation into online child safety that closed only two weeks ago.<\/p>\n Mark Zuckerberg\u2019s Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram \u2013 platforms that will be affected by the outcome of the consultation \u2013 is already seeking a judicial review of one aspect of the OSA. It has launched a legal challenge<\/a> against the UK\u2019s media regulator over the fees and fines regime it is enforcing under the act.<\/p>\n