UK plans law to block child nude image sharing

The UK government is set to introduce legislation compelling technology companies such as Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.'s Google to block children from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images on their devices. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy announced the plan to Parliament on Tuesday, stating that existing voluntary measures from the tech giants do not sufficiently address the scale of the crisis. Ministers had issued a three-month ultimatum in June, urging the companies to voluntarily implement safeguards by September. While both Apple and Google have made progress in offering content protections for young users, officials contend these measures are not comprehensive enough to prevent harm. Nandy indicated that primary legislation would be introduced "as soon as we can," though a precise timetable was not provided. The proposed law aims to require device-level protections to be built into smartphones and tablets sold and used in the UK, covering both new and existing devices. Furthermore, the government intends to mandate that apps used by children also incorporate similar blocks on nude imagery, extending protections beyond just cameras and first-party messaging services.