Government demands measures by September to block production and circulation of intimate images on cell phones and tablets used by minors
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, (Labor Party), gave until September a deadline for technology companies to adopt mechanisms capable of blocking explicit nudity images on cell phones and tablets used by children. If the changes are not implemented, the British government promises to present a law to make the measure mandatory.
The proposal was this Monday (8.Jul.2026) during the technology event . According to the Prime Minister, the initiative would make the United Kingdom the first country to prevent children from producing, sending or receiving nude images through electronic devices.
According to Starmer, companies like Apple and Google should activate nudity detection systems or other tools that prevent minors from taking, sharing or viewing sexually explicit images. Adults would continue to be able to access this type of content, as long as they prove their age.
“For too long, people have been led to believe that children sharing explicit images is simply the price of modern technology – that nothing can be done. That the government is powerless. That parents simply have to accept”, these.
“I reject this completely, because technology must adapt to the needs of society, not the other way around. If we are serious about taking advantage of the opportunities that technology can bring, we must also be serious about preventing those who want to abuse it – online predators.”
Starmer also said companies need to act to prevent minors from sending and receiving sexually explicit content. “That’s why today I’m calling on technology companies operating in this country to implement controls that prevent children from sending and receiving sexually explicit images. Because this is not an impossible challenge”.
REPORTS OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION ON THE RISE
The proposal comes amid the in the United Kingdom. According to the government, the National Crime Combat Agency receives around 1,700 complaints per week. Last year, nine out of every ten images of child abuse recorded in the country were produced by the victims themselves, many of them deceived or coerced by abusers they met on the internet.
Cases of online grooming have also grown to around 7,000 a year, according to British authorities.
The measure was announced about 1 month after Jess Phillips (Labour Party) Minister of Child Protection. She said the government was not taking action to prevent children from producing intimate images of themselves.
The proposal was designed to work in conjunction with the which forces digital platforms to remove content that is illegal or harmful to minors.
Currently, neither Apple nor Google offer an operating system-wide nudity block. Apple, however, already requires age verification to access certain services in the United Kingdom. Google has now started detecting and blurring nude images on children’s accounts, in addition to issuing alerts when minors try to open, send or forward this type of content.
