The report comes days after Australia began to implement a social media ban for under 16s [File]
| Photo Credit: REUTERS
Lawmakers in the United Kingdom government may reach out to Google and Apple to explore whether they can put in place controls to stop device users from taking or viewing nude images without verifying their ages, reported The Financial Times on Monday (December 15, 2025).
The report comes days after Australia began to implement a social media ban that is intended to stop children under 16 years of age from accessing a series of platforms including Facebook, YouTube, and X.
The UK government is yet to officially confirm whether it is contacting Apple and Google about implementing age verification across device ecosystems, reported FT.
However, under the region’s laws, sites and apps that allow pornography need to have age checks in place, with regulator Ofcom noting that “just ticking a box to say you’re over 18 will no longer be enough”.
The UK’s proposal is expected to work in tandem with its Online Safety Act regulation, per FT.
Apple and Google have not yet confirmed formal discussions with the government about the matter.
Published – December 16, 2025 02:17 pm IST
