There appears to be a concerted effort afoot in various jurisdictions across the globe to implement a more aggressive form of online censorship, all in a bid to protect minors, and Apple’s iPhones and Google OS-powered Android phones are right in the thick of this emerging paradigm.<\/p>\n
The UK wants Apple and Google to install a nudity-blocking algorithm\/software on iPhones and Android smartphones<\/p>\n
The Financial Times is now reporting that the UK government wants Apple and Google to do the following as a part of its broader push to protect minors and combat violence against women and girls<\/a>:<\/p>\n Install nudity-detecting algorithm\/software on smartphones to prevent minors from taking photos or sharing images of the human genitalia.<\/p>\n Block explicit images on electronic devices by default.<\/p>\n These measures are expected to rope-in other tech OEMs as well, especially as the UK government eventually wants explicit imagery blocked on the entire gamut of devices and not just phones. <\/p>\n Under the emerging framework, adults would need to verify their identity – via biometrics or official IDs – to access explicit content.<\/p>\n These developments come amid heightened fears of minors being exploited or groomed by adults in what amounts to worrying cases of pedophilia.<\/p>\n HMD Global, the company that sells Nokia-branded phones, already installs a software on its phones called HarmBlock, which automatically detects and blocks explicit content.<\/p>\n Do note that the UK already mandates age-checks for accessing pornographic content online. These upcoming measures, however, expand control over all kinds of explicit content and not just pornographic ones.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Australia has already banned under-16s from using social media under a new law<\/a>. And, in the US, the House Energy and Commerce Committee\u00a0continues to deliberate on a number of bills that would<\/a>:<\/p>\n Install a comprehensive guardrail around online platforms, one that would force such platforms to implement measures that protect youngsters from violence, fraud, obscenity, gambling, drugs, and alcohol.<\/p>\n \u00a0Ban the social media accounts of all under-16 users. <\/p>\n Institute a national age verification mechanism for sexually explicit websites. <\/p>\n Give parents more control over their child’s communication with other players in online gaming.<\/p>\n