London: The UK government is moving towards legislation requiring technology companies to strengthen device-level protections after Apple and Google failed to meet a three-month deadline to prevent children from taking, viewing or sharing nude images on smartphones and tablets.
Deadline passes without enough protection
The government had given major technology companies three months from June to develop stronger safeguards. While Apple and Google have made changes, Digital Secretary Lisa Nandy said the progress did not match the scale of the problem facing children online.
The proposed legislation would require major technology platforms to build stronger protections directly into devices. Companies that fail to comply could face fines, with the government also considering criminal liability for senior executives.
Apps could face new rules too
The government is also looking at extending requirements to apps frequently used by children, seeking to prevent children from accessing or sharing nude content through the wider digital ecosystem.
The move follows concerns that existing safeguards often blur or restrict content only on selected services rather than preventing access across devices. The government says adults would retain access to adult content through age verification.
Privacy concerns remain
Apple said it remains committed to protecting children and is working with UK officials to strengthen its Communication Safety and other tools. Google also said it was committed to working with governments and technology partners while protecting privacy and access to information.
However, digital rights advocates have raised concerns that device-level scanning and age verification could create wider surveillance risks.
The UK government says its objective is to ensure that stronger child-safety measures are implemented without undermining privacy, as it prepares to introduce legislation in Parliament.