The government’s proposals have been welcomed by charities and child-safety organisations calling for tougher measures and technological solutions to prevent children from viewing, creating and sharing nude images on smartphones.
Ofcom data shows that smartphone ownership is increasing among children in the UK, with usage rising further as they get older.
The children’s charity NSPCC warns that nude images captured on children’s devices can expose them to grooming, sexual coercion and other forms of online child sexual abuse.
Senior British police officers have previously said that restricting children’s ability to create and share nude images could help prevent sextortion. This crime involves children being pressured, manipulated or threatened into sending explicit images.
NSPCC chief executive Chris Sherwood described the proposed legislation as a “necessary step” after technology companies failed to meet the Government’s three-month deadline.
He said: “We cannot afford for children to face further delays, so the Government must act quickly to ensure these measures are legislated at the earliest opportunity.”
Andy Burrows of the Molly Rose Foundation said the proposals were “the basis of purpose”, but described the process of securing them as an “unnecessarily long and difficult road”.
Mr Burrows added: “Ministers need to demonstrate that they are committed to delivering strong legislation without further delay.”
The proposal to prevent children from sharing nude images was first introduced as part of the Government’s strategy to tackle violence against women and girls.
However, the plans have faced criticism from within the governing party over the length of time taken to introduce the measures.
The proposed legislation would not stop adults from accessing nude images stored on their own devices.
However, any technology designed to block children from creating or sharing such images may require providers to verify whether a phone or app user is an adult or a child.
The Open Rights Group, which campaigns for online rights, previously warned that the changes could mean “all adults could be forced through digital ID checkpoints, with their private images scanned by default.”
The Government denies that the proposed measures would amount to surveillance.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk