08 June 2026 , 09:57
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Sir Keir Starmer has directed tech companies to implement measures that will prevent children from sending and receiving sexually explicit images on their devices.
The Prime Minister said that if companies do not introduce these controls, his government will change the law to make it mandatory.
His announcement comes amid increasing speculation about the potential implementation of a social media ban for British children under the age of 16.
In a speech at London Tech Week, Starmer stated: ‘One issue is the ability of children with phones to send and receive nude images.
‘For too long, people have been told that this is simply the price of modern technology, that nothing could be done, that the government is powerless. That parents just have to accept it.
‘But I completely reject that because technology should adapt to the needs of society, not the other way around.’
He mentioned that implementing such controls is ‘not an impossible challenge,’ adding: ‘These are some of the most innovative companies in the world, and I believe they can solve it.’
The Home Office stated that this move will make the UK the first country in the world to make it impossible for children to create, share, or view nude images.
Adults will need to undergo an ‘age verification process’ before they are able to do so.
Last month, Labour MP Jess Phillips resigned as Minister for Safeguarding and criticized Starmer’s approach to the issue of self-generated explicit images in a letter to the Prime Minister.
She wrote: ‘The technology exists to prevent children from taking naked images of themselves. We could implement this on every phone and device in the country. We could stop this abuse.
‘It has taken me a year to get you to agree even to threaten legislation in this area. Not to legislate, just to threaten. This is the definition of incremental change.’
Head of Investigations