● Covered by 3 sources · 3 reportsMedium impact3 neutral
UK Government to Legislate Against Child Nude Image Sharing on Tech Platforms
Key points
- UK government will legislate to prevent child nude image sharing.
- Law targets tech firms, including device OS and app providers.
- Apple and Google's current proposals deemed insufficient.
- Legislation aims for ecosystem-wide change to protect children.
- UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the legislation.
- Legislation will require device-level protections.
- A three-month voluntary deadline for tech companies ended in September.
- The Internet Watch Foundation reports 91% of child sexual abuse material is image-based.
- Legislation will prevent under-18s from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images.
- The three-month deadline for tech companies passed on Tuesday.
- Andy Burnham, the prime minister, commented on child protection.
New Legislation Planned
The UK government announced its intention to introduce a new law to mandate tech companies prevent children from capturing or sharing nude images on mobile devices. This move comes after the government assessed current proposals from major tech firms as inadequate to address the issue.
Insufficient Industry Response
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP stated that despite "significant commitments" from Apple and Google, their current solutions do not meet the required scale. These companies, which develop the operating systems for most UK smartphones, were given three months in June to implement blocks on nude images for users under 18. While both companies have made some changes, the government believes more comprehensive action is necessary.
Scope of the New Law
The draft legislation will require tech firms to block nudity at the device level on smartphones used by children. Additionally, providers of apps used by children will need to implement similar blocks on nude imagery within their platforms. This dual approach aims to ensure that the entire digital ecosystem is covered, addressing how children are exposed to or involved in the sharing of such content online.
Industry and Advocacy Reactions
Apple stated it launched its Communication Safety feature in 2021 to help prevent children from seeing or sharing imagery containing nudity and has continued to expand its capabilities. Google also affirmed its commitment to child safety and progress in combating non-consensual intimate imagery. Organizations and charities, including the NSPCC, have welcomed the government's proposals, emphasizing the need for technical solutions to prevent children from creating and sharing nudity, which can be a precursor to online grooming and exploitation.
Updates
- Legislation will prevent under-18s from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images.
- The three-month deadline for tech companies passed on Tuesday.
- Andy Burnham, the prime minister, commented on child protection.
- UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the legislation.
- Legislation will require device-level protections.
- A three-month voluntary deadline for tech companies ended in September.
- The Internet Watch Foundation reports 91% of child sexual abuse material is image-based.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The UK government plans to introduce legislation requiring Apple and Google to implement device-level protections to prevent children from creating, sharing, or viewing nude images on their devices. This move follows a voluntary deadline given to tech companies, which the UK Culture Secretary stated did not adequately address the issue of online child sexual harm.
The UK government will legislate to force Apple and Google to block explicit images on children's smartphones after negotiations failed. This legislation aims to prevent minors from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images on their devices, impacting the entire smartphone ecosystem.
The UK government plans to introduce a new law compelling tech firms to prevent children from taking or sharing nude images on mobile devices and apps. This legislation follows insufficient commitments from companies like Apple and Google to address the issue, aiming to create an ecosystem-wide change to protect children online.