Starmer vows to tackle social media’s ‘addictive features’ to protect children

Families who accused Meta and YouTube of putting their children in the way of harm outside the court in Los Angeles, California on Wednesday. Photograph: Mike Blake/Reuters

Keir Starmer has said he will tackle “addictive features” in social media amid increasing signs the UK government is preparing to crack down on risks to children after a US court verdict that held Meta and YouTube responsible for harms caused by designing addictive technology.

The prime minister said the verdict in a California court signalled a rising public expectation for more aggressive regulation and said: “I’m absolutely clear that we need to go further.”