Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told technology firms on Thursday that the government's recent moves to curb children’s access to social media should be seen as an interim measure rather than a final settlement.
Nandy said the decision earlier this year to bar under-16s from "high-risk" social media apps — and to impose limits on platforms judged to be safer — was only a "staging post" in a broader online safety campaign. She said the government would continue to tighten rules and seek to position the UK as a "pioneer of tech as a force for good."
Her comments signal a willingness in Whitehall to pursue additional regulatory steps against tech companies after what ministers have described as a first tranche of protections for younger users. The measures announced earlier this year drew attention for drawing a distinction between platforms deemed high-risk and those subject to lighter restrictions.
The remarks are likely to intensify scrutiny of social media firms operating in the UK, which have already faced pressure from lawmakers and campaigners over the harms their products can pose to children and young people. Nandy's warning makes clear that ministers view the existing rules as part of an evolving package of reforms rather than a finished policy.
Industry groups have argued in the past that rules must balance safety with freedom of expression and technical feasibility. Nandy's statement underscores the government's intent to press on with reforms while framing them as aiming to harness technology for public benefit, a message likely to shape forthcoming discussions between regulators, lawmakers and platform operators.