Can Apple and Google Prevent Kids from Sharing Explicit Images?

Technology companies must act within three months to prohibit children in the UK from creating or sharing explicit images on their devices, or they may face regulatory measures.

In a statement, Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the urgency: “I am calling on technology companies operating in this country to implement regulations that prevent children from sending or receiving sexually explicit images.” During his speech on June 8th, he stated, “This challenge is not insurmountable. Failure to comply will result in legal changes.”

Prominent smartphone developers, Apple and Google, have already implemented partial measures. Apple’s iOS includes a “Sensitive Content Alert,” which detects and blurs nudity in images or videos sent or received through its messaging and AirDrop services. This feature, which is enabled by default for child accounts, utilizes on-device machine learning to assess whether images contain nudity at the point of transmission.

Similarly, Google provides a feature in its Android OS called Sensitive Content Warning, which is also powered by on-device machine learning and defaults to “on” for child accounts when images are sent via Google Messages, though it does not apply to video content.

Both functionalities differ from the image hash list maintained by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which tracks the digital fingerprints of known images of child abuse, aiming to stop their sharing across websites and social media platforms.

However, expanding these measures to cover third-party applications like WhatsApp, Instagram, Signal, and X poses significant challenges, as these platforms operate independently of the Android and iOS ecosystems. Additionally, ensuring children’s exclusive use of child accounts remains a concern; currently, both Google and Apple require active parental involvement for setup, which isn’t a default setting.

Moreover, Apple’s current content warning system may only function on devices updated to iOS 17 or later, with about 10% of devices around the world not meeting this requirement. Similarly, Google’s equivalent features are restricted to devices running Android 9 and above, impacting around 5 percent of global devices. While specific statistics for the UK are unavailable, millions of devices could be affected.

The UK government is pushing for Apple and Google to broaden their nudity detection systems to include mobile cameras and third-party applications, limiting explicit image sharing unless users verify their age, akin to mechanisms in place for adult websites since the enactment of the Online Safety Act in July 2025.

Nonetheless, the reliability of such verification systems has drawn skepticism, with frequent reports of children bypassing safeguards. “Current age verification methods largely struggle to restrict young people from accessing adult content,” states Liam McLoughlin from Edge Hill University, UK.

The potential for misuse of technology raises additional concerns, including unintentional barriers to educational and medical information and fostering negative body image issues, warns Julian Hayes, a data protection lawyer at UK’s BCL Solicitors. “To combat online harm, we must empower children and youths with safe online practices, provide meaningful sex education, and embody good online behavior ourselves,” he advocates.

“This approach is heavily reliant on technology solutions, ultimately placing excessive power in the hands of tech companies,” remarks Carolina Are from the London School of Economics. “While it aims for headlines, enforcing these measures will be significantly challenging.”

Apple did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication. A Google spokesperson assured New Scientist: “Google is deeply committed to safeguarding children’s online experiences. We are collaborating with our UK partners to develop effective, privacy-centric solutions that mitigate the spread of harmful content, ensuring a secure digital environment for youth.”