The UK government is set to introduce primary legislation to compel major tech platforms to integrate protections into devices used by children, blocking under-18s from sending or viewing nude images on smartphones. This decision follows three months of discussions with tech giants Apple and Google, which ministers concluded did not yield strong enough measures.
Lisa Nandy, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary, informed MPs on Tuesday that the legislation would require these protections to be built into smartphones and activated by default for children. Adult users would need to verify their age to disable these restrictions. The government also intends for apps used by children to prevent access to or sharing of nude images, though this would require further legislation.
Apple stated it has been tightening restrictions on explicit material, referencing its Communication Safety feature launched in 2021, which detects nudity on a user's device and is on by default for child accounts under 18. Google indicated it had made progress in negotiations but emphasised the need to protect user privacy. Both companies told City AM they had made progress on introducing new safeguards for teenagers.
Ms Nandy noted that while talks led to "meaningful changes" from both companies, including progress towards blocking explicit images, the proposals did not "meet the scale of this crisis." She added that legislation could still be reconsidered if companies introduce adequate protections during the drafting process.