The British government has ordered major technology companies to prevent children from being able to send, receive, or access nude images on their devices, warning that failure to act will lead to new legislation enforcing compliance.
The Home Office said on Monday that companies including Apple and Google have been given three months to introduce stronger safety features across smartphones and tablets used by minors.
If the companies do not comply voluntarily, the government said it will introduce laws to “force them to activate the technology”, including penalties for non-compliance.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking at the London Tech Week conference, said protecting children online was a non-negotiable priority for the government.
“This is not an impossible challenge,” he said. “These are some of the most innovative companies in the world and I believe they can solve it, but if they choose not to, then we will act and we will change the law, because when it comes to the safety of our children, standing by is not an option.”
The government said tech companies have a “moral responsibility” to protect children from coercion, abuse and sextortion, adding that future laws could include fines and potentially criminal liability for senior executives who fail to comply.
Officials argued that stronger restrictions would not only prevent children from accessing pornography but also reduce the risk of exploitation by online predators.
The Home Office cited research from the Internet Watch Foundation showing that 91 percent of online child sexual abuse reports in 2024 involved self-generated content created by children.
While Apple has recently introduced age verification measures for UK users, the government said existing safeguards remain insufficient, particularly because they do not fully cover camera functions, messaging apps such as Snapchat, or search tools.
This gap, officials warned, still allows minors to take, store and share explicit images.
The proposed regulatory push forms part of a broader effort by the UK government to tighten online safety rules and compel tech companies to take greater responsibility for child protection on their platforms.
