The proposed rules target platforms featuring recommender systems and user-generated content, placing apps like YouTube Kids, Lego Play, and Spotify at risk. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is expected to present the measures to parliament in December as part of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act following cabinet approval. Industry groups warn that stripping these core discovery algorithms will severely disrupt ordinary platform operations. A subsequent regulatory wave next spring will also address messaging tools embedded inside e-commerce services like Vinted and Depop.
Key points
Services must prove they do not use harmful algorithms, recommender systems, or risky con…: Services must prove they do not use harmful algorithms, recommender systems, or risky conversational tools to remain accessible to minors.
Tech companies argue the broad definitions will break core platform functionality by forc…: Tech companies argue the broad definitions will break core platform functionality by forcing the removal of algorithmic recommenders.
Retailers dispute why e-commerce messaging is being targeted while standalone platforms l…: Retailers dispute why e-commerce messaging is being targeted while standalone platforms like WhatsApp and iMessage remain permitted.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
A substantial expansion of the social media ban for under-16s could inadvertently lead to a ban on YouTube Kids and other sites that had been thought exempt, sources briefed on the government’s proposals have said.
One source close to the talks said the regulations now under consideration meant up to 150 platforms, including games platforms such as Lego Play, could be covered by the ban, which is set to come into force in March.
The regulations will be sent for cabinet signoff this week, and the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, is expected to lay them in parliament in December.
Ministers are understood to be keen for a catch-all approach that limits ban workarounds. Critics of Australia’s social media prohibition say teenagers have switched to new platforms or found innovative ways of messaging using other seemingly innocuous sites.
Tech companies, industry groups and MPs have been briefed that the government’s working proposal focuses on recommender systems and user-generated content.
Spotify – which has some user-generated content and shows recommended music or podcasts – could technically be in scope if those proposals…
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