MPs want social media treated more like unsafe toys than harmless apps

UK MPs on the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee urged the government to tighten online safety laws, arguing social media companies should be held accountable for harms to children. The committee highlighted evidence linking social media use to youth harm, called for effective age verification and stronger obligations to filter illegal or harmful content, criticized recommendation algorithms and addictive design features, and recommended closing regulatory gaps (including AI chatbots) in forthcoming legislation.