than ever. I've heard firsthand from families crying out for change and we will do right by them. That's why we're going further than any country in the world by banning social media for under-16s and putting wider protections in place to give kids their childhood back. 

And he concluded:  This is a line in the sand. Tech giants had their chance and failed, but we're stepping in to protect children, back parents and set a new normal for future generations. 

The government also highlighted the rise of  so-called AI  romantic companion' chatbots - designed to simulate sexual relationships or roleplay with users  that will  have to enforce a minimum age of 18. Similar intimate functionalities will be restricted for under-18s on AI chatbots more widely. 

Concluded the U.K. government:  Taken together, these measures will mean a much more comprehensive model than just a blanket ban on social media - one that responds to how children experience harm online, rather than just where it happens.