The UK government has called on Meta to roll out the same sweeping child safety protections it agreed to in the United States as part of an $18bn (£13bn) settlement, with Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden insisting that British children deserve equal safeguards. The demand follows a landmark lawsuit settlement between Meta and dozens of US states that accused the Instagram owner of harming young users with addictive and dangerous products.
The UK government has formally called on Meta to extend the wide-ranging child safety measures it agreed to in the United States to British users, following a settlement that could cost the company up to $18bn (£13bn).
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told reporters on Thursday that he expects the Instagram and Facebook owner to apply the same protections to children in the UK. “I do not want young people in the United States to have a higher rate of protection than those in Britain,” McFadden said.
The demand comes a day after Meta settled a multistate lawsuit in the US, where dozens of states had accused the company of designing features that deliberately addict children and expose them to harm. The settlement, which is subject to court approval, is one of the largest ever in a child safety case and includes requirements for stricter default privacy settings, limits on screen time, and enhanced parental controls.
McFadden’s intervention signals that the UK government expects Meta to treat the British market as a priority, even though the settlement was reached in a US court. The UK already has its own Online Safety Act, which imposes a duty of care on social media platforms to protect children from harmful content. However, the new US measures go further in some areas, such as banning algorithms from recommending content to minors without parental consent.
A Meta spokesperson has not yet commented on the UK’s request. The company has previously argued that it already invests heavily in child safety tools and that its policies comply with local laws in each country.
Critics of the UK’s approach note that the Online Safety Act, while groundbreaking, has been slow to implement and that enforcement by Ofcom, the communications regulator, is still in its early stages. They argue that the government should focus on strengthening domestic regulation rather than relying on US legal outcomes.
The development is likely to reignite debate about the power of tech giants to set global standards through litigation and whether national regulators can effectively hold them accountable across borders. With the US settlement setting a new benchmark, pressure is mounting on Meta to offer the same protections to all its users worldwide.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The UK demand could force Meta to implement a global baseline for child safety, potentially affecting hundreds of millions of young users worldwide.
- The $18bn settlement signals that US courts are prepared to hold tech companies financially accountable for harms to children, setting a precedent that other countries may follow.
- If Meta resists, the UK could escalate with its own enforcement actions under the Online Safety Act, creating a regulatory clash between two major markets.
Background
The US lawsuit was filed in 2023 by a coalition of attorneys general from 42 states and the District of Columbia, alleging that Meta knowingly designed Instagram and Facebook to be addictive to children and misled the public about the risks. The case was scheduled for trial in October 2026 before a last-minute settlement was reached on August 26.
The settlement, which is still subject to judicial approval, reportedly includes provisions such as banning algorithmic recommendations for users under 18 without parental consent, limiting notifications during school hours and overnight, and defaulting to the strictest privacy settings for minors.
In the UK, the Online Safety Act became law in 2023, giving Ofcom powers to fine platforms up to 10% of global turnover for failing to protect children. However, full implementation has been gradual, with key codes of practice still under consultation.
Key Perspectives
UK Government (Pat McFadden): Argues that British children deserve the same protections as American children. Sees the US settlement as a benchmark that Meta should apply globally, not just in the jurisdiction where it was forced to settle.
Meta (implied position): Has not yet responded to the UK demand. Historically, the company has maintained that it complies with local laws and that its child safety features are already robust. It may argue that the US settlement was a specific legal compromise that does not set a global standard.
Critics/Skeptics: Some child safety advocates and regulators argue that the UK should strengthen its own enforcement rather than relying on US court outcomes. They note that the Online Safety Act already contains provisions that could achieve similar protections if fully implemented. Others worry that Meta may try to limit the US settlement’s scope to only American users, leaving other markets with weaker safeguards.
What to Watch
- Meta’s official response to McFadden’s demand, expected in the coming days.
- The final approval of the US settlement by the court, which could include conditions affecting global rollouts.
- Ofcom’s next steps on the Online Safety Act codes of practice, which could be updated to match or exceed the US measures.
- Potential for similar demands from other countries, such as the EU or Australia, creating a coordinated push for global standards.