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The British Government Announces Legal Amendments to Close Gaps in the Online Safety Act, Expands Ofcom Powers and Discusses Digital Restrictions, Including Social Media for Minors and Technology Limits
The government of the United Kingdom announced on Monday (16) a plan to tighten legislation and subject AI chatbots to online safety rules. The decision comes after controversy involving nude images generated by Grok, a system integrated with the social network X and associated with businessman Elon Musk.
Reaction of the British Government
During a visit to a social center in London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that the goal is to eliminate “the flaws that put children at risk.”
According to him, no platform will have privileged treatment. The statement comes amid international repercussions triggered by Grok’s ability to generate nude images from photos of real people.
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Investigation and Legal Limits
Ofcom, the internet regulator in the country, opened an investigation on January 12 to determine whether X failed to comply with obligations regarding moderation of illegal content and protection of minors. The inquiry is ongoing.
Subsequently, the agency acknowledged a limitation in the legislation: some chatbots are not covered by the Online Safety Act when they only allow direct user interaction with the AI.
“We can only act against online harms if they are covered by the law,” declared Ofcom. The regulator can impose fines of up to 10% of a company’s global revenue.
Expected Changes
To close the gap, the Labor government intends to propose an amendment to the Crime and Policing Act.
The proposal should require all chatbots to adopt measures to protect against illegal content.
At the same time, the child welfare bill is expected to incorporate mechanisms that allow interventions in a few months in response to rapid technological changes.
The initiative marks a shift from January 2025, when Starmer advocated transforming the country into an artificial intelligence hub with less regulation.
Now, in addition to strengthening the rules, the government is also preparing a public consultation on digital well-being, assessing measures such as the possible ban on social media for those under 16 and limiting features like infinite scrolling.
With information from G1.
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