Apple and Google Given Three Months to Bring Nude Image Blocking Feature on Children’s Devices in the UK

The UK government has now announced new plans under which Big Tech companies, including Apple and Google, will be required to activate built-in features or bring technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Keir Starmer at London Tech Week, and companies have been given three months to act on it.

Read more about it below.

UK Government Asks Companies Like Apple and Google to Block Nude Images on Children’s Devices

As per the announcement that has now been made, the new plans are aimed at stopping children from being able to take, share, or view nude images on their smartphones and tablets. This is also said to prevent predators from exploiting and abusing children through their devices, while also stopping children from accessing pornography.

Speaking more, adults will still be able to take, share, or view nude content, but this will be done through an age verification process. The changes will be applicable to UK devices, including both existing and newly-sold smartphones and tablets. The government has also pointed out that the rules could cover operating system providers and others in the supply chain, such as retailers.

To add, the device should simply block harmful content across all apps and services, while over-18 users will still be able to view adult content after proving their age. Also, while keeping the age verification in check, the government states that it shouldn’t hamper the privacy of any individual.

Speaking about Apple, the company recently introduced age checks for iPhone users and became the first company to activate safety features by default for users who are not verified as over 18. However, the government has pointed out that nudity detection is still not applied to the camera, broader apps, third-party messaging services, or search functions. Because of this, it wants both Apple and Google to block nudity across the whole device by default, and allow it to be deactivated only via age assurance.

While this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting children online, many users have come forward claiming that it may, in fact, hamper user privacy. Some have also questioned why smartphone makers cannot simply bring devices exclusively made for children with limited access to the internet, rather than checking or scanning the whole system.

Reacting to this, Signal, the privacy-focused messaging platform, has said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), “UK government’s demand that all content on all devices sold or used in the country be scanned, on the presumption of nudity, using a dystopian combination of age verification and content scanning. This proposal will not safeguard children. It endangers us all.”

As mentioned above, tech companies now have three months to act on the government’s demand, and if they fail to do so, the UK government may proceed with legislation to make these protections mandatory. Stay tuned for more updates.