The UK authorities continue their efforts to protect children from online harm. They are currently considering implementing a ban on the use of social networks for those under 16 and do not rule out extending the restriction to chats in online games.
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UK Minister for Internet Safety Kanishka Narayan mentioned this in an interview with The Sunday Times.
During the conversation, the politician emphasized that he often heard about the problem of children interacting with dangerous strangers specifically in the context of popular online games, rather than social networks. That is why he intends to pay "very close attention" to addressing this issue when considering the ban. However, Narayan did not specify how exactly such a restriction should be implemented.
It is worth noting that many gaming platforms have recently started to verify users' ages in the UK and set up barriers for young gamers in accordance with the Online Safety Act. For instance, Xbox restricts minors from accessing social features, and Steam prevents them from playing adult games. However, an official ban on communicating with strangers in online game chats has yet to be discussed.