UK Mandates Age Verification for Children's Explicit Content

The UK government is pushing forward with legislation to block explicit content on children's smartphones, targeting tech giants Apple and Google. After unsuccessful talks with the companies, the government will start working on an act of Parliament to prevent under-18s from accessing explicit images.

According to Lisa Nandy, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, it is 'almost certain' that unprecedented legislation will be needed. The proposed law would require Apple and Google to verify adult users' ages before they can view or send explicit content.

The government also plans to extend these restrictions to children's apps, which would necessitate additional legislation. This move follows a series of actions taken by the UK government to protect minors from harmful digital content, including plans to ban 'harmful' social media platforms for children under 16.

Civil liberties groups have expressed concerns that tech companies may unveil changes threatening anonymity and privacy. Billionaire Elon Musk has criticized the proposed restrictions, suggesting they could be used to track people until they verify their identity.