Children’s online experiences are facing increased legislative scrutiny worldwide, with providers in this space toeing a narrow line. Any companies that fail to anticipate legislative changes risk being caught off guard by new compliance requirements, product design expectations, and heightened regulatory oversight.

Against this backdrop, the UK is the latest jurisdiction to signal a shift in approach. The UK government’s consultation, Growing up in the online world: a national conversation(1)(the “Consultation”), published on 2 March 2026, reflects an important change in how UK policymakers are tackling children’s engagement with digital services. Rather than treating certain digital services as either permitted or prohibited by default (as jurisdictions such as Australia have done), the Consultation rejects a one-size-fits-all model and opts for a more granular discussion about the conditions under which children should engage with such services.