Tech companies’ access to UK ministers dwarfs that of child safety groups

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Robert Booth and Michael GoodierJanuary 17, 2026 at 06:00 PM
Tech companies’ access to UK ministers dwarfs that of child safety groups

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A Guardian investigation revealed that tech companies like Google, Amazon, Meta, Microsoft, and X have significantly more access to UK government ministers than child safety organizations. Between October 2023 and October 2025, tech companies and their lobbying groups met with ministers at a rate exceeding once per working day. Google alone had over 100 ministerial meetings. This disparity in access has drawn criticism from child safety campaigners, including the Molly Rose Foundation and the NSPCC, who argue it demonstrates a power imbalance that hinders online child protection. The government defends its engagement with tech companies as vital for economic growth and public service transformation, while critics urge a shift in focus towards public interest and stricter regulation, especially concerning AI and social media safety for minors.

Keywords

tech companies 100% government access 90% child safety 80% political influence 70% online safety 60% power imbalance 50% ai regulation 50% lobbying 40%

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Very Negative
Score: -0.60

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Source
The Guardian - World News
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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