Sir Keir Starmer has warned all online platforms that they won’t get a “free pass” when it comes to children’s safety on the internet, ahead of setting out new plans to prevent harms.

Children could be prevented from using virtual private networks (VPNs) to illicitly access pornography, and limited from speaking with online chatbots under proposals being floated by the Prime Minister to bolster online safety.

The Government also plans to consult on banning children from social media, and restricting infinite scrolling.

Sir Keir will meet parents and young people on Monday to insist that the Government will do all it can to keep children safe online.

The Government is vowing to close legal loopholes which have allowed chatbots to create deepfake nude images, and is planning further curbs on social media.

This follows the war of words between ministers and Elon Musk earlier this year, after his Grok AI chatbot – embedded into the social media site X – was used widely to make fake nude images of women.

Ahead of launching the consultation, the Prime Minister said: “As a dad of two teenagers, I know the challenges and the worries that parents face making sure their kids are safe online.

“Technology is moving really fast, and the law has got to keep up. With my Government, Britain will be a leader, not a follower, when it comes to online safety.

“The action we took on Grok sent a clear message that no platform gets a free pass.

“Today we are closing loopholes that put children at risk, and laying the groundwork for further action.

“We are acting to protect children’s wellbeing and help parents to navigate the minefield of social media.”

The consultation into new social media protections will launch in March and be guided by what parents and children say they want to see.

Ministers also plan to introduce powers through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill to speedily change the law in reactions to changing online behaviours.