UK Wants Apple to Implement System-Wide Nudity Blocking by Default

The UK government is preparing to push technology companies such as Apple and Google to add nudity-blocking features to smartphones and computers by default, as part of a broader effort to protect children from explicit content.



The Home Office is expected to urge companies to build nudity-detection algorithms directly into their operating systems. The goal would be to prevent users from taking or sharing explicit images unless they have verified that they are adults. According to the Financial Times, the proposal will form part of a wider strategy aimed at tackling violence against women and girls, which is set to be unveiled in the coming days.


Under the proposal, devices would block the display of nudity by default, unless a user verifies they are an adult through methods such as official ID or biometric checks. Officials had considered making the controls mandatory for all devices sold in the UK, but for now are expected to rely on voluntary adoption by manufacturers.

Britain's approach differs from Australia's recent move to ban social media access for users under 16. Instead, UK policymakers are concentrating on technical safeguards built into operating systems to limit exposure to pornography and reduce the risk of grooming.

Apple does not currently offer a system-wide nudity block that applies across all third-party apps by default. It does, however, provide "Communication Safety" tools for child accounts. As noted in the iOS 26.1 release notes, Apple now enables web content filters and communication safety by default for users aged 13 to 17. These features detect and blur sensitive images in Messages, AirDrop, and FaceTime, though older teens can still choose to view the content after receiving a warning.

The push for device-level age controls comes amid growing regulatory pressure. Apple has already been required to introduce new developer tools to comply with age-verification laws in places such as Texas. At the same time, CEO Tim Cook has argued against federal mandates, warning that broad age checks could pose significant privacy risks by forcing platforms to collect sensitive personal data.


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