Government must actively regulate tech companies to protect children online rather than relying on self-regulation
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/editorial. "The Guardian view on children and the internet: rolling back big tech’s untrammelled power | Editorial | The Guardian." June 8, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The government should stop letting tech companies police themselves when it comes to protecting kids online. Instead, they need to force companies like Apple and Google to build safety features directly into their products and platforms.
Conclusion
Governments need to take firm regulatory action against big tech companies to protect children online, moving beyond content moderation to require fundamental changes in how platforms and devices operate
Premises
- Tech companies have historically resisted regulation and preferred to place responsibility on users rather than platforms
- The current laissez-faire approach to tech regulation has been a demonstrable failure over the past two decades
- There are obvious and documented risks to children in digital environments that refuse to recognize their age
- Recent legislative and judicial actions show momentum is building for stronger tech regulation globally
- The UK government's demand for Apple and Google to install nude image blocking software demonstrates that technical solutions exist and can be mandated
- Children aged 16-17 should also be protected under regulations as they remain children under UN conventions
Assumptions
- Government regulation is more effective than industry self-regulation for protecting children
- Technical solutions for child protection are feasible and should be mandatory
- The harms to children from unregulated tech platforms outweigh concerns about digital rights and privacy
- Big tech companies will only act responsibly when compelled by law