Apple and Google Miss Deadline to Block Child Nudity on Their Phones in the UK

image via WIRED

September 8, 2026, 6:13 PM

• •The UK gave major tech companies three months from June to prevent child nudity from being taken, viewed, or shared on devices used in the country.
• •Lisa Nandy said Apple and Google had not produced measures sufficient to match the scale of the problem.
• •Proposed legislation would require protections on existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets in the UK, with fines and possible criminal liability for bosses who fail to comply.
• •Nandy said similar legal duties could later be explored for child-used apps such as Instagram and Snapchat.
• •Signal criticized the approach as a possible path toward broader surveillance, while Apple and Google said they support child safety and are continuing to work with the government.

The UK government says Apple and Google failed to meet a three-month deadline to make taking, viewing, or sharing child nudity on smartphones and tablets impossible. Digital secretary Lisa Nandy responded by introducing proposed legislation that could fine companies and create potential criminal liability for executives if protections are not built into devices sold in the UK. Apple and Google said they are working on child-safety tools and cooperating with officials, while critics including Signal warned that age checks and scanning requirements could expand surveillance. The move comes alongside broader UK efforts to restrict children’s access to social media and strengthen safeguards on AI chatbots.

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