The UK government is considering restrictions that could stop children from talking to strangers on gaming platforms such as Roblox, Fortnite, Discord, and Minecraft, The Times reported Sunday.
The proposal is being discussed as part of a wider review of children’s online safety and possible limits on social media use by young people.
Online Safety Minister Kanishka Narayan reportedly said gaming platforms would be considered because chat features can allow adults to contact children they do not know.
The issue is linked to what officials describe as stranger contact, where children can be approached through in-game chat, voice chat, or messaging tools.
The proposal could go beyond a simple social media ban by looking at specific features on gaming and communication platforms. These include stranger chats, location features, autoplay, and infinite scrolling.
The UK government launched a national consultation in March to examine how children use technology and whether stricter rules are needed for social media, gaming platforms, and AI chatbots.
The consultation considered options such as setting a minimum age for social media, restricting risky design features, improving age checks, and giving parents simpler safety controls.
The consultation closed on May 26. The government has said it will respond in the summer and has already announced powers that could allow ministers to act faster after the review.
Some platforms have already introduced stricter safety measures. Ofcom reported that Roblox now uses age checks to restrict adults from contacting children they are not already connected to.
Discord has also introduced age assurance measures for UK users under the Online Safety Act, including updated default settings and age checks for some features.
Roblox has separately announced age-based accounts and stronger parental controls for younger users. The company said the system is designed to give children age-appropriate access and limit contact between children and adults they do not already know.
Supporters argue that tighter rules are needed because children can be exposed to grooming, harmful content, and unsafe contact through online platforms.
However, critics warn that broad restrictions on gaming could be difficult to enforce and may affect spaces where young people play, learn and socialise with friends.
The government has not announced a final decision. Any new rules are expected to depend on the findings of the consultation and further advice from regulators.
📢 For the latest Tech & Telecom news, videos and analysis join ProPakistani's WhatsApp Group now!
Follow ProPakistani on Google News & scroll through your favourite content faster!
Shares
