London: More than 100 UK MPs have urged Apple and Google to introduce technology that would prevent children from taking, viewing or sharing nude images on smartphones.
The cross-party letter, organised by Labour MP Alistair Strathern and the NSPCC, warned that nude images can be used to exploit, groom and blackmail children. The MPs called for urgent action from technology companies, arguing that existing protections have not gone far enough to prevent online child sexual abuse.
The campaign comes after the UK government announced in June that Apple and Google would have three months to introduce stronger device-level protections or face legislation requiring them to do so. The proposed technology would detect and block nude images across children’s devices, including images created through cameras and content accessed through apps.
The government later announced on September 9 that it would prepare legislation requiring technology companies to strengthen protections. Ministers stated that progress made by Apple and Google since June did not meet the government’s intended level of protection.
Under the proposed framework, companies would be required to make it impossible for anyone under 18 to take, view or send nude images on their devices. The government also wants protections to be switched on by default, with adults able to access such content only after completing an age-assurance process.
The NSPCC has estimated that thousands of online child sexual abuse offences are recorded by police, while the charity has warned that offenders continue to manipulate and coerce children into producing and sharing sexual images.
NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood called on Apple and Google to implement the protections without further delays, stating that children and families continue to face serious consequences from online exploitation.
Google stated that it would continue working with experts, legislators, app developers and device manufacturers to improve child safety while protecting privacy and access to information. Apple also stated that it shares the UK’s commitment to combating exploitation and abuse online and to improving protections for children.
The issue extends beyond social media platforms because children can create and share images through smartphones, messaging services and other applications. The UK government’s wider online safety programme includes restrictions on harmful functions and stronger age checks for children.
The National Crime Agency has also backed device-level protections, noting that preventing children from creating or sharing sexual images could reduce opportunities for grooming, financially motivated sexual extortion and repeated exploitation.
The government is now preparing legislation that would establish device-level protections across smartphones and other devices used by children. The proposals are intended to work alongside wider online safety measures covering social media, gaming platforms and other digital services.
The debate is expected to continue as policymakers and technology companies work through questions involving child protection, privacy, age verification and the technical implementation of image-blocking systems.
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