The United Kingdom's Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, in a bid to curb “vile and illegal content created by AI”, has announced a crackdown on Artificial Intelligence chatbots.
The move is to seek broader powers in internet regulation, affecting access to minors and protecting them from danger posed by these chatbots.
The announcement was made by the Prime Minister's office on Monday. The office is also considering a social media ban for children under the age of 16, following a public consultation.
The statement by Starmer's office read that technology was moving really fast, and the law had to keep up. “We are acting to protect children's well-being, and help parents navigate the minefield of social media,” Steamer has been quoted as saying.
What Will Change?
The new measures will mean that the providers of AI chatbots must abide by digital safety laws, including a ban on creating sexualised images without a subject's consent.
Grok Chatbot, of Elon Musk's X platform, has recently been found creating “non-consensual intimate images.”
Explaining that it wants to act, and that too quickly, on public consultations, in its push for broader powers, “within months, rather than waiting for years for new primary legislation every time technology evolves.”
The decision by Starmer's office will be a push to amend existing crime and child-protection legislation, and the consultation is expected to begin as soon as March of this year.
Among other things, a ban on children using virtual private networks (VPNs) to access pornography is also being considered.
Australia recently became the first country to prohibit children below 16 years from accessing social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and YouTube. Social media companies will be liable to pay fines of up to 49.5 million Australian Dollars (USD 33.2 million) if they fail to remove accounts of children younger than 16.
Streamer's plan has received widespread support from his own (Labour) party as well as the opposition.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.