UK Cracks Down on Child Smartphone Exploitation

The UK government is pushing for legislation to block explicit content on children's smartphones, targeting Apple and Google. The move follows unsuccessful talks with the tech giants, with a deadline of September passed without an agreement.

According to Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the government will commence work on an act of Parliament aimed at preventing under-18s from taking, sharing, or viewing explicit content on their devices. The tech companies could still reach an agreement, but it's 'almost certain' that unprecedented legislation would be needed.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham added that these protections would be built into the device and switched on by default, with tech companies required to verify an adult user's age before they are allowed to view or send explicit content. The government also intends to extend these restrictions to children's apps, which would require additional legislation.