The United Kingdom and Australia are moving to force tech firms to block explicit material on devices used by children as part of new child online safety laws.
In the UK, the government will introduce legislation that obliges Apple and Google to embed filters on smartphones identified as belonging to users under 18. The filters must prevent the display, capture or sharing of pornographic or otherwise explicit images. The bill does not yet set penalties, but officials say they will consider fines if the companies do not implement comparable safeguards voluntarily.
Australia’s draft bill takes a broader approach. It would impose a statutory “duty of care” on social‑media platforms such as Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, TikTok and others to protect users under 18 from pornography, bullying, extremist material and content that could trigger eating disorders. Non‑compliance could attract fines of up to AU$109 million (about US$78 million). The legislation also requires platforms to offer an opt‑out from algorithmic recommendation feeds, letting users view content in chronological order.
Both measures follow failed voluntary negotiations with the tech industry. In the UK, talks with Apple and Google stalled, prompting Labour MP Lisa Nandy to say legislation will be introduced “as soon as they can.” In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese presented the draft bill alongside the 2023 ban on social‑media use for under‑16s, framing the duty‑of‑care proposal as the next step in a broader child‑online‑safety strategy.
Technical details are still being worked out. In the UK, regulators are consulting with industry and civil‑society groups on how on‑device image‑recognition tools can operate without compromising privacy. Australia is seeking input on how to monitor algorithmic opt‑outs and verify that filters are effective.
Civil‑society organisations have welcomed the focus on child safety but warn that overly broad filters could over‑block legitimate content and raise privacy concerns. Industry representatives argue that mandatory on‑device filtering may clash with existing encryption standards and that fines of the proposed magnitude could deter investment.
If enacted, the UK law would require Apple and Google to develop or integrate on‑device filtering technology, potentially raising compliance costs. Australian platforms would need to audit recommendation engines, create user‑controlled settings and establish reporting mechanisms to demonstrate adherence to the duty of care.
The next steps are clear. The UK will move its blocking bill through Parliament, while Australia plans to debate the duty‑of‑care draft later this year after a period of stakeholder consultation. Both governments will continue to work with tech firms, regulators and advocacy groups to refine technical standards and enforcement frameworks, aiming to protect children without creating undue regulatory burdens on the digital ecosystem.