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UK government to legislate on child safety after tech firms miss deadline

Created at 10 Sep · 4:11 AM1 source↑ Market-relevant
IN SHORT

The UK government will introduce legislation to force tech companies like Apple and Google to automatically block explicit content on children's devices after they failed to meet a deadline to implement such protections. The government stated that existing measures were insufficient to address the scale of the crisis.

Key Numbers

3 monthsdeadline for tech firms to implement child protection measures

Who's Involved

Keir Starmer
UK Prime Minister who ordered tech firms to activate content filtering
Apple
tech giant ordered to automatically block explicit content on children's devices
Google
tech giant ordered to automatically block explicit content on children's devices
Lisa Nandy
secretary of state for digital, culture, media, and sport who introduced legislation
Chris Sherwood
chief executive of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
UK government to legislate on child safety after tech firms miss deadline

↳ Why This Matters

The UK government's move signals a significant shift towards mandatory enforcement of child safety measures on technology platforms, potentially impacting how millions of families use devices and raising privacy concerns.

Key facts

  • UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration ordered Apple and Google to automatically enable content filtering features on devices used by minors.
  • The government stated that Apple and Google failed to meet a deadline to implement child protection solutions.
  • New legislation will require companies to build child protection solutions into all existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets in the UK.
  • Companies failing to comply could face fines and potential criminal liability for their bosses.
  • Apple stated it is working with the UK government and has shared future plans to strengthen its Communication Safety feature.
  • Google stated its team has made progress and is committed to continuing to work with experts to keep children safe.

    • The UK government is set to introduce legislation mandating child protection measures on smartphones and tablets after tech giants Apple and Google failed to meet a three-month deadline to automatically block explicit content. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's administration had expected the companies to activate existing filtering technologies, such as Apple's Communication Safety and Google's SafeSearch and Family Link, on devices used by minors. However, the government stated that the progress made by the companies did not meet the scale of the crisis.

    Under the proposed legislation, companies that do not build child protection solutions into all existing and newly sold devices in the UK could face fines and potential criminal liability for their executives. Lisa Nandy, the secretary of state for digital, culture, media, and sport, introduced the legislation, noting that tech companies can innovate at an extraordinary pace when required. She also plans to explore similar requirements for apps like Instagram and Snapchat.

    Apple stated that it shares the UK's commitment to combating online exploitation and abuse and has shared future plans to further strengthen its Communication Safety feature. Google indicated that its team has made progress and is committed to working with experts and legislators to keep children safe while protecting privacy. However, privacy advocates have raised concerns that such measures could lead to wider surveillance, with Signal previously warning of "invisible surveillance infrastructure."

    Frequently asked questions

    The UK government is asking Apple and Google to automatically activate built-in content filtering features. For Apple, this includes Communication Safety within its Screen Time framework, which can detect and blur sexually explicit images. For Google, it involves SafeSearch filtering and Family Link parental controls across Android devices and Chrome browsers.

    The government stated that Apple and Google failed to meet a three-month deadline to implement sufficient child protection measures, and that existing voluntary measures were insufficient to address the scale of the crisis of child nudity and exploitation on devices.

    Companies failing to build the required child protection solutions into all existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets in the UK could face fines and potential criminal liability for their bosses.

    Privacy advocates, including the messaging app Signal, have warned that forcing UK residents to prove their age and have their content scanned in the name of child safety could be a slippery slope into wider surveillance and the creation of "invisible surveillance infrastructure."

    What Happens Next

    01The UK government will change the law to introduce legislation requiring child protection solutions on all existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets in the UK.
    02Companies failing to comply with the new legislation could face fines and potential criminal liability for their bosses.
    03Lisa Nandy plans to explore placing similar legal requirements on apps used by children, like Instagram and Snapchat.
    04The government will reassess whether legislation is necessary if platforms implement solutions while it is being drawn up.

    How It Developed

    The UK government ordered Apple and Google to automatically activate built-in content filtering features on children's devices.
    Tech firms were given three months to make taking, viewing, or sharing images of child nudity on their devices impossible.
    The deadline passed with the government stating that Apple and Google had failed to meet the required standard.
    The UK government announced it would change the law to introduce legislation requiring child protection solutions on all new and existing smartphones and tablets sold in the UK.
    Companies failing to comply with the new legislation could face fines and potential criminal liability for their bosses.

    Sources

    T1
    Apple and Google defend safety records as UK clamps down on explicit teen contentCity AM
    T2
    UK to force Apple and Google to block explicit images on ...theguardian.com
    T2
    Apple and Google Miss Deadline to Block Child Nudity on Their Phones in the UK | WIREDwired.com
    T2
    UK Orders Apple, Google to Auto-Block Explicit Content on Kids' Devices | The Tech Buzztechbuzz.ai

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