Ministers Must Accelerate Action on Deepfakes to Shield Women and Girls, Kendall Insists
In an exclusive statement, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has emphasised the urgent need for ministers to act more swiftly in addressing fast-evolving technological threats, particularly deepfakes, which pose significant risks to women and girls online. She highlighted that the pace of technological development is outstripping the government's regulatory capabilities, suggesting that regular annual reviews of regulations, similar to those for the budget, may be necessary to keep up.
Roundtable with Tech Giants Highlights Online Misogyny Concerns
Kendall spoke to the Guardian after hosting a roundtable with major tech companies, including Meta, Snapchat, Reddit, Match Group, Google, TikTok, and OnlyFans. During the meeting, she urged these firms to intensify their efforts in tackling online misogyny. She pointed out that the Online Safety Act took eight years to implement, a timeframe that has failed to match the rapid evolution of technology.
"It took eight years for the Online Safety Act to come in, and the technology has developed so rapidly it hasn't kept pace," Kendall said. "Every year MPs have a finance bill to deal with the budget. In a world where technology is developing so quickly, we've got to be prepared to look at this much more, much more quickly."
She stressed that as a government and parliament, they cannot afford to legislate only once every eight years on such critical issues, a concern she is acutely aware of.
Consultation on Social Media Ban for Under-16s and Legislative Plans
Kendall recently launched a consultation into banning social media for under-16s, with results expected in the summer. She confirmed that the government intends to pass new laws following this consultation, though she noted this could be done using secondary legislation, which does not allow MPs to amend it. Campaigners for a ban worry that ministers might implement a weak version without parliamentary scrutiny, but Kendall assured that MPs would get a vote in the Commons, albeit potentially through secondary means.
AI Chatbots Brought Under Online Safety Act After Grok Controversy
In a recent move, Kendall announced that AI chatbots will be brought under the remit of the Online Safety Act, enabling penalties for content posted by AI tools as well as humans. This decision followed a controversy involving Elon Musk's X platform, where users employed its Grok chatbot to create artificial sexualised images of real people. After pressure from Keir Starmer and other ministers, X shut down this capability in the UK.
"The public is right to put pressure on the government to say we want our kids to be safe, as women, to take these awful images down," Kendall stated. "Grok started spreading those appalling images, we stood up and stood firm and said it's against our values, it's against the law and we won't be bullied by anyone in protecting women and girls, and then X acted."
She expressed hope that this action demonstrates the prime minister's and her own determination to safeguard online spaces.
Upcoming Parliamentary Debate on Children's Online Safety
Children's online safety will be debated in parliament on Wednesday, with MPs on the Commons science, innovation and technology committee set to hear from the eSafety commissioner from Australia, health campaigners, and parent groups. The discussion will focus on whether social media access should be banned for under-16s, reflecting ongoing concerns about digital risks for young people.
