Starmer tells Apple and Google to ban nude images on children's phones

Tech companies specified arsenic Apple and Google person been asked by the UK authorities to artifact entree to bare images connected smartphones and different devices for under-18s.

Sir Keir Starmer has told firms to either activate built-in features oregon update bundle to forestall children from taking, sending oregon viewing sexually explicit images connected their phones and different devices.

Speaking astatine London Tech Week, the premier curate said: "This is not an intolerable challenge. These are immoderate of the astir innovative companies successful the satellite and I judge they tin lick it."

The authorities said it volition bring guardant authorities to unit firms to activate the features if they bash not comply voluntarily wrong 3 months.

This could see fines or, arsenic a past resort, transgression liability for companies which bash not comply.

The premier curate said the changes would use to some existing and newly-sold smartphones and tablets successful the UK.

"Legislation could screen operating strategy providers and others successful the proviso chain, specified arsenic retailers, and volition not impact the usage of devices owned and utilized by adults who verify their age," helium said.

In response, a Google spokesperson said it was "deeply committed to protecting children online."

"We are moving constructively with UK partners to find effective, privacy-preserving solutions that deter the dispersed of harmful contented portion ensuring a harmless integer situation for young people."

Apple has already age-verified its UK users and offers a blocking work for respective of its ain apps including iMessage.

Its Communication Safety diagnostic warns children who person a Child Account erstwhile they nonstop oregon person images and videos containing nudity crossed Messages, AirDrop and FaceTime.

The tool, which is turned connected by default for those nether 18 with a Child Account and which parents tin alteration for teens successful iCloud Family settings, lets children study nude images oregon videos to Apple and besides points them towards assistance and support.

The UK has besides already introduced laws to effort to support children online. Foremost is the Online Safety Act - laws and duties online platforms indispensable travel - implemented and enforced by media regulator Ofcom.

However, kid information campaigners person urged the authorities to spell further to halt children seeing oregon sharing nude images, amid concerns astir online grooming and sextortion.

The authorities said 91% of online kid intersexual maltreatment reports recorded successful 2024 contained self-generated contented from children themselves and the mean kid present views pornography by the property of 13.

The plans would not forestall adults – anyone implicit 18 – from accessing bare imagery.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said tech companies "have a motivation work to enactment by making it intolerable for children to take, stock oregon presumption nude images. If they don't, we volition legislate".

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said: "Companies should power these protections connected by default, for each child, connected each device. We are giving them 3 months to amusement america that they volition bash the close thing."

'Time is up for large tech'

Andy Burrows, main enforcement of the Molly Rose Foundation, welcomed what helium said was "an important measurement guardant for kid protection".

However, helium criticised authorities connection astir the announcement, alongside 1 of a imaginable prohibition connected societal media for young people.

"Number 10 needs to commencement urgently listening to experts and the evidence, alternatively than unreserved retired hurried announcements for short-term expediency that volition rapidly unravel and proceed to fto tech firms disconnected the hook for preventable harm," helium said.

Following a nationalist consultation, the UK is moving person to restrictions connected under-16s' societal media use, with ministers consulting connected measures ranging from property limits to bans connected addictive level features.

Silkie Carlo, manager of Big Brother Watch, said: "Protecting children online is vital, but these are outrageous plans that volition neglect to code the underlying causes of online harm."

"Put simply, the Labour authorities is threatening ID checks for the internet. No-one successful a ideology should request to amusement their passport conscionable to get online."

Likewise, Open Rights Group person spoken of their interest of the infrastructure being expanded.

"This would crook each telephone into a surveillance device," said Platform Power Programme Manager James Baker.

However, Chris Sherwood, main enforcement of the NSPCC, said it powerfully supported the move, adding, "Time is up for large tech".

"Now authorities indispensable absorption connected holding them to relationship to guarantee this transformational alteration for young people's information is rapidly delivered," helium said.

Labour MP Jess Phillips resigned arsenic safeguarding curate astatine the Home Office earlier this year, accusing Sir Keir of being dilatory to endanger authorities connected preventing children taking bare images of themselves, contempt the exertion being available.

Additional reporting by Chris Vallance, Liv McMahon, and Laura Cress