Apple and Google Miss UK Deadline, Facing Fines and Potential Criminal Liability Over Child Safety

Apple and Google missed a June directive from the UK government giving Big Tech three months to make taking, viewing, or sharing images of child nudity impossible on their devices. The UK is now introducing legislation that could impose fines and potential criminal liability on tech bosses failing to build these protections into all existing and newly sold smartphones and tablets.

The government is also evaluating applying these legal requirements to apps like Instagram and Snapchat, alongside a sweeping social media ban for users under 16 slated for spring 2027. Privacy groups and companies like Signal argue the mandate could rush "invisible surveillance infrastructure" into law by forcing device-level content scanning and age verification. "For too long, technology companies have failed to protect children from the worst harms, and to be frank, I am not prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt that progress will continue at the pace we need it to while harm is being done now." — Lisa Nandy