UK plans laws to block child nude images online

The UK government will introduce laws requiring technology companies to prevent children under 18 from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images on devices and platforms.

Since June, officials have been negotiating with Apple and Google to implement these protections, but the government believes these efforts haven’t gone far enough. The new legislation will compel companies to install safeguards across all devices, including cameras and apps, to stop online grooming, exploitation, and abuse.

The government intends for the UK to lead globally in online child safety, establishing the strongest laws of their kind. These laws will require nudity detection filters to be enabled by default, eliminating the need for parents to manually activate them. Any user wishing to access or share nude images will need to verify their age through a secure process. Prime Minister Andy Burnham stated that the government will change the law if companies don’t meet expectations.

Recent data shows a rapid increase in child sexual extortion reports, the Internet Watch Foundation recorded 394 reports in the first six months of 2025, compared to 19 in 2022, and that 91% of reported online child sexual abuse in 2024 involved self-generated content. The government is also considering additional measures, like banning social media access for those under 16 and limiting risky features for older teens.