Britain is set to become the first country in the world to stop children from taking, sharing or viewing nude images on smartphones and tablets under sweeping new online safety measures announced by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Speaking at London Tech Week on Monday, Starmer said technology companies including Apple and Google will be required to activate existing safety features or develop new tools that automatically block nude content for children. The move is aimed at tackling online child sexual abuse, exploitation and early exposure to pornography.
Under the proposals, devices used by children would prevent the creation, sharing and viewing of nude images across apps and services. Adults would still be able to access such content after completing age verification checks.
The government said the measures would apply to both existing and newly sold devices in the UK. Companies have been given three months to introduce effective protections or face legislation that would make compliance mandatory.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said online abuse had become far too common and accused technology firms of failing to keep pace with the risks facing children. She said companies have a moral responsibility to ensure children cannot access or create harmful sexual content online.
The announcement comes amid growing concern over the scale of online abuse. Government figures show that 91 per cent of child sexual abuse reports recorded in 2024 involved self generated sexual images created by children themselves. Officials also said the average child is exposed to pornography by the age of 13.
The plans build on recent safety measures introduced by Apple, including age verification checks for iPhone users. The government says future protections must work without compromising privacy or collecting personal data, with harmful content blocked directly on devices.
British online safety company SafeToNet has already demonstrated technology capable of preventing children from taking nude photographs and blocking explicit content before it is viewed.
The proposals have divided opinion. Child protection charity the NSPCC welcomed the plans, saying stronger safeguards are urgently needed to protect young people online. However, privacy campaign group Big Brother Watch described the measures as excessive technological censorship and warned they could undermine digital freedoms.
The government is also reviewing wider online safety reforms, including guidance on children’s screen time and new rules for social media platforms. A recent consultation on children’s use of social media attracted more than 100,000 responses from parents, experts and young people, highlighting growing public concern about the impact of digital technology on children.
