Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced plans for sweeping new online safety rules that would prevent children from taking, sharing, or viewing explicit images on smartphones, as part of a broader crackdown on harmful digital content.
The proposed measures would place legal pressure on major technology companies, including Apple and Google, requiring them to introduce safeguards within three months to block under-18 users from accessing nudity on mobile devices.
If the companies fail to comply, the government says it is prepared to introduce legislation enforcing the rules, including fines, restrictions on device sales to minors, and potential criminal liability for senior executives.
“Tech must protect children, not expose them”
Speaking at London Tech Week, Starmer argued that technology firms should be held responsible for safeguarding children online rather than relying on parents alone to manage risks.
He said society had too long accepted the idea that online harm was unavoidable.
The Prime Minister stated that technology “must adapt to the needs of society,” adding that protecting children from exploitation must take priority over platform convenience or commercial design.
How the proposed system would work
Under the plan, smartphones would be required to automatically block minors from:
- Viewing nude or sexually explicit content, including pornography
- Receiving or sharing nude images
- Accessing sexual content embedded in apps, videos, or media feeds
Adults would still be able to access such content, but only after completing age verification checks.
Officials say the system is designed to reduce the growing problem of child exploitation online, where young users are often manipulated into sharing explicit images that are later used for blackmail or coercion.
Government cites rising online abuse cases
Authorities estimate that a large majority of child sexual abuse cases online involve self-generated images, often created after grooming or pressure from predators.
Home Office officials argue that stronger device-level controls are necessary to interrupt this cycle earlier, before content can be created or distributed.
Wider social media restrictions also expected
The announcement is expected ahead of a separate government proposal to restrict social media use for children under 16.
That plan may include limits on algorithm-driven feeds, infinite scrolling, autoplay features, and other engagement tools that critics say encourage compulsive use.
Child safety advocates have also called for even stricter limits, including extending restrictions to older teenagers and banning certain platform features entirely.
Industry and civil liberties concerns
While the government frames the policy as a child protection measure, digital rights groups have raised concerns about privacy and surveillance.
Critics warn that mandatory detection and filtering systems could reduce anonymity online and expand the scope of monitoring on personal devices.
Despite this, ministers argue that the scale of online harm requires stronger intervention and direct responsibility from technology companies.
Next steps
The government has given tech firms a three-month deadline to propose and implement technical solutions.
If progress is deemed insufficient, ministers are expected to move forward with binding legislation backed by financial penalties and regulatory enforcement.
The proposals mark one of the most aggressive child online safety interventions yet considered in the UK, with potential global implications for how smartphones and digital platforms manage access to explicit content.
