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News story

New plans to stop children taking, sharing or viewing nude images

Britain will become the first country in the world where it is impossible for children to take, share or view naked pictures on their devices.

From:

Home Office

Published<br>8 June 2026

Photo: Getty Images

Under the new plans, Big Tech companies like Apple and Google must activate built-in features or implement technical solutions on smartphones and tablets to detect and block nude images for children, the Prime Minister announced in a speech at London Tech Week today (Monday 8 June).

This will prevent predators from being able to exploit and abuse victims through their devices, as well as stopping children from being able to access pornography. Adults will still be able to take, share or view nude content through an age verification process.

Now is the time for tech companies to step up and work with government to solve this horrific issue. If companies do not act within 3 months, the government will bring forward legislation to force them to activate the technology. This will include fines for companies. Nothing is off the table, and as a last resort we are exploring criminal liability for tech bosses who fail to comply.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:

When it comes to the safety of our children, standing by is not an option. Nobody gets a free pass. That is why I’m making sure Britain is the first country in the world to make it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images.

And I expect tech firms to make that happen. This is not an impossible challenge – these are some of the most innovative companies in the world. But if they choose not to, then we will act and change the law.

The changes will apply to UK devices, including both existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets. Legislation could cover operating system providers and others in the supply chain, such as retailers, and will not affect the use of devices owned and used by adults who verify their age.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said:

As a society, we have not kept pace with the changing threats that children face. Abuse online is far too common, and we will not tolerate it.

Tech companies have a moral duty to act, by making it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images. If they don’t, we will legislate.

These measures build on progress already made in the UK. Since the publication of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, Apple has already taken significant steps to combat this harm and shown the art of the possible, launching world-first features in the UK.

Apple recently introduced age checks for iPhone users, making it the first company to activate safety features by default for those who are not verified as over 18. This is a significant step forward following the government’s commitments to work with industry, and one this announcement builds on.

Despite this, the nudity detection is not applied to the camera or broader apps, third-party messaging services, or search functions, meaning children can still take, view, share and save nude images. The government therefore wants Apple and Google to block nudity across the whole device by default, so they can only be deactivated via age assurance.

Alongside the changes announced today, the consultation on children’s use of social media has now closed, with more than 100,000 responses received from parents, young people and experts. The government will publish its response soon and will continue working with international partners to tackle this shared global challenge to drive better protections for children online.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

No parent should have to worry that giving their child a smartphone opens the door to abuse and exploitation.

We are holding social media platforms to account and will soon announce our next steps to keep children safe online. But this doesn’t stop with platforms; the devices themselves are part of the problem – and they can be part of the solution.

Companies should switch these protections on by default, for every child, on every device. We are giving them 3 months to show us that they will do the right thing.

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