Influencers asked to weigh in on UK's landmark children's social media consultation

The UK government will hold "influencer roundtables" as part of a three-month consultation into children's online safety that could significantly reshape the platforms creators rely on.

Announcing what it described as "the world's most ambitious consultation on social media," the government said creators will be brought into the wider information-gathering process alongside community events, locally-led conversations, and engagement with schools and civil society organisations.

The consultation, which closes on 26 May, seeks to address mounting pressure from parents and campaigners over the effect of social media and screen time on children.

Rather than focusing solely on an outright ban, the government is exploring a broader package of measures, including overnight curfews, restrictions on AI chatbots and limits on addictive design features such as infinite scrolling and autoplay.

The move comes amid intensifying global scrutiny of youth safety on platforms. 

Last month, the European Commission provisionally found TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act over what it described as "addictive" design features, including elements of its recommendation system. If confirmed, the findings could prompt operational changes across the bloc and carry fines of up to 6% of global annual turnover.

Governments around the world are also moving to restrict access. 

Following Australia's introduction of an under-16 ban last year – which industry insiders told The Daily Influence was more likely to reshape how creators package content for younger audiences than trigger any exodus – Spain has announced similar plans. France passed a ban for under-15s in January, with enforcement expected ahead of the 2026 school year. 

In the US, age verification laws are now on the books in roughly half of all states, with nearly 20 child safety bills working their way through Congress.

The UK consultation adds to an increasingly complex compliance landscape for creators, who are already navigating tighter advertising and transparency rules – and are now being pulled directly into the policymaking process.

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