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UK to push law forcing Apple and Google to block nude images for children
The UK said it will start work on an act of parliament after talks with Apple and Google ended without an agreement, with protections to require adult age verification by default.
The UK government said it will begin work on an act of parliament to stop under-18s from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images on their devices, following talks with Apple and Google that did not produce a breakthrough, according to the Guardian Business.
The commitment sets the government on a potential collision course with the companies, whose operating systems dominate the smartphone market, and comes months after the UK announced a social media ban for under-16s.
Digital secretary Lisa Nandy told the House of Commons that the companies could still reach a deal, but she said it is almost certain that legislation will be needed, citing continued harms to children.
The prime minister said protections would be built into devices and switched on by default, and tech companies will have to verify an adult user's age before users can take, view, or send nude images, with restrictions also intended to apply to apps used by children.