The UK government is considering a proposal that would require scanning all of the general public’s photos before they are sent through private messaging platforms.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall discussed the idea during an appearance on “BBC Breakfast,” suggesting the government may explore ways to “block photographs being sent that are potentially nude photographs by anybody or block children from sending those.”
The comments have drawn attention because implementing such a system would likely require scanning users’ images before they are transmitted, including in private messaging environments.
Broader Online Safety Push
Kendall said the government is conducting a consultation on possible new online safety measures, including:
• Potential age limits on live streaming
• Age restrictions on “stranger pairing” in online games
• Safeguards to prevent the sending or receiving of nude images
The government previously announced plans on February 16 to pursue expanded delegated powers related to age verification requirements for social media platforms and VPN services.
Under current proposals, amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill would expand age verification obligations for “user-to-user” services.
The category includes social media platforms, messaging apps, forums, and gaming services.
Email and SMS services are currently exempt.
Delegated Powers and Legislative Process
The government plans to introduce additional authorities through amendments to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which has already passed through the House of Commons and House of Lords and is in its final legislative stages.
Delegated powers allow ministers to implement secondary legislation without requiring the full parliamentary debate and voting process associated with primary legislation.
Kendall stated during a separate appearance on “Good Morning Britain” that the government intends to introduce new “online safety rules” annually through this mechanism.
Supporters argue that delegated powers allow flexibility to update age verification standards as technology evolves.
Critics contend that such mechanisms reduce parliamentary scrutiny and limit oversight.
Technical Implications
Scanning for “potentially nude” images would require software capable of analyzing all images before they are transmitted.
In encrypted messaging systems, this would likely involve client-side scanning, meaning content is analyzed on the user’s device before encryption is applied.
Client-side scanning has been debated internationally.
In 2021, Apple proposed a similar system aimed at detecting child sexual abuse material, but later withdrew the plan following privacy and security concerns raised by researchers.
Privacy advocates argue that systems designed to detect specific categories of content could theoretically be expanded or modified in the future.
The UK government has not yet released technical details regarding how any proposed photo-scanning system would operate.
Previous Parliamentary Debate
The House of Lords previously considered and rejected an amendment that would have required continuous client-side scanning on most smartphones and tablets to detect child sexual abuse material.
The current proposal differs in scope but would involve similar technical considerations.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer noted in a February 16 Substack post that “private chats” can contribute to online harms affecting children.
However, no direct legislative text targeting encrypted messaging was outlined in that statement.
The government’s consultation process has not yet formally launched.
Ongoing Consultation
Officials state that the proposal remains under review and subject to consultation.
Any final policy decisions would depend on the outcome of that process, parliamentary approval of relevant legislation, and the development of technical standards.
The debate reflects a broader tension between online safety enforcement and digital privacy protections, an issue likely to remain central in future UK technology policy discussions.
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