London (TDI): The British government has warned technology giants they have three months to make it technically impossible for children to take, send, or view nude images on their devices.
Speaking at London Tech Week on Monday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on technology companies to introduce device-level controls that would prevent children from sending or receiving sexually explicit images.
The Home Office said proposals would make the UK “the first country in the world where it is impossible for children to take, share or view naked pictures on their devices.”
Under the plans, tech companies including Apple and Google would be required to activate existing safety features or develop new technical solutions to detect and block nude images on children’s devices.
In May, Foreign Secretary @YvetteCooperMP launched a global coalition to end violence against women and girls, wherever it exists, in the street, at home, and online.
Today, the UK takes a world‑first step to block nude images for children using mobile phones – a vital step in… pic.twitter.com/PiPugpNWHG
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) June 8, 2026
Ministers have given firms three months to act voluntarily, after which the government says it will bring forward legislation that includes financial penalties.
Officials said “nothing is off the table,” and are exploring criminal liability for tech bosses who fail to comply. Reports indicate the potential prison sentence for non-compliant executives could be as long as five years.
Former Home Office safeguarding minister Jess Phillips resigned in May 2026 specifically because the government had only been willing to “encourage” firms to comply, writing to Starmer: “It has taken me a year to get you to even threaten to legislate in this space.”
Read More: Why Governments Around the World Are Banning Social Media for Children & Teenagers
Child sex abuse image crimes logged by UK police forces rose by almost 10 percent over the past year, with 36,829 offences recorded between April 2024 and March 2025 across 42 of the 45 UK police forces; up from 33,886 the year prior.
Starmer framed the issue as a matter of political will rather than technical limitation. “For too long, people have been told that is simply the price of modern tech, that nothing can be done, that government is powerless, that parents just have to accept it,” he said.
“I reject that completely, because tech should adapt to the needs of society, not the other way around.” This is part of a broader digital safety push that includes consulting on social media bans for children and closing legal loopholes that have allowed AI chatbots to generate deep fake nude images.
