In the US, a federal ban is unlikely due to political gridlock, the First Amendment, and big tech’s economic influence.
Despite nuanced findings from an independent academic panel, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer chose to act.
A source at a tech company affected by the ban expressed frustration that inconsistent safety efforts among rivals make regulation more likely.
“It’s hard to sell your safety measures to politicians when there is not enough consistency among your peers,” the source said, adding that Australia’s ban does not encourage safer design and has high circumvention rates.
Tech Industry Fights Back
The tech industry is lobbying heavily against restrictions.
>>> Montreal Canadiens Select Eight Prospects to Conclude 2026 NHL Draft
In the EU, big tech spent approximately €150 million on lobbying last year, a third more than two years ago.
Meta was the biggest spender at €10 million. An EU lawmaker said tech companies are “bombarding” Brussels with messages challenging age bans.
In the US, tech companies are lobbying against the Kids Online Safety Act (Kosa).
Meta, the highest spending tech lobbyist, has one lobbyist for every six members of Congress. Between 2020 and 2024, big tech spent $260 million on federal lobbying.
Meta said it wants “uniform national standards for online youth safety.”
The Trump administration has been critical of foreign tech regulation, calling the UK’s proposed ban “disproportionate.”
Darrell West of the Brookings Institution said state bans are “not likely on a widespread basis” and a federal ban is unlikely because “too many legislators oppose government regulation of technology.”
