UK seeks to force Apple and Google to block children from taking, viewing, or sharing nude images on their devices, and praises Apple's age-based restrictions (Jacob Reid/Bloomberg)

The UK plans to introduce legislation requiring major tech platforms like Apple and Google to implement "device-level protections" on iPhones and tablets, according to Bloomberg. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the government's intention to bring the new legislation to Parliament "as soon as possible." Nandy acknowledged that Apple and Google have taken "meaningful changes" in response to a June deadline for voluntary protections, but stated that those measures do not address the severity of the issue.

Children in the UK are facing a high level of sexual harm online, with 91% of intimate images reportedly self-generated by minors. These images are often used for blackmail and sexual extortion, with around 9,000 child sexual abuse offences involving online elements annually. Nandy emphasized that device-level protections are only one of two measures the government intends to pursue, with the second focusing on app restrictions for children to prevent nudity access and sharing.

Apple affirmed its commitment to combating online exploitation and has introduced features to prevent children from viewing or sharing nude images, including support for third-party apps.