Apple and Google Miss Deadline to Block Child Nudity on Their Phones in the UK

In June, UK officials gave tech giants Apple and Google three months to eliminate the ability to take, view, or share child nudity images on their devices. However, the deadline passed on Tuesday without the companies complying. As a result, the UK government plans to introduce new legislation, claiming it will be the world's first of its kind.

The government argues that Apple and Google's engineers worked with officials since June, but their efforts did not meet the crisis' scale. Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media, and sport, introduced the legislation, stating that companies failing to implement child protection solutions on all smartphones and tablets sold in the UK would face fines and potential criminal liability for their employers.

The UK government plans to consider similar legal requirements for apps used by children, such as Instagram and Snapchat. Nandy criticized tech companies for not protecting children from online sexual abuse and said she would reassess the legislation if platforms implement solutions before it is drafted. Critics, like Signal's CEO, argue that the measures could lead to broader surveillance, while Apple and Google maintain that they are committed to protecting children's online safety.

The government is also considering extending its social media ban for children under 16 and strengthening laws around AI chatbots to protect young users.