The UK government reportedly plans to introduce laws requiring Apple and Google to prevent children from accessing any nude images online. This controversial legislation would extend beyond existing protections under the Online Safety Act, potentially imprisoning company CEOs for up to five years if they fail to implement these restrictions.

This represents an escalation from previous approaches that merely "encouraged" tech companies to comply. Former Home Office minister Jess Phillips resigned in May 2026, criticizing the government's reluctance to take stronger action. The proposal comes after Apple already implemented age verification features in iOS 18.4 in response to existing regulations.

Civil liberties organizations object to the potential privacy implications, with Big Brother Watch director Silkie Carlo warning it could lead to "population-wide ID checks." However, child safety advocates like the NSPCC welcome the reported plans, arguing tech companies have a responsibility to protect young users from explicit content.

Apple previously introduced child protection features including App Store content filtering. Despite these measures, UK officials remain unsatisfied, as children can bypass protections through adult-registered devices or VPNs, which saw a 1,400% increase in usage after the UK's 2025 block on adult websites.