Following UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s call for tech companies to introduce device-level controls, the messaging platform Signal has accused the UK government of laying the groundwork for a “mass surveillance system” under the guise of child protection.
Speaking at London Tech Week yesterday, the Prime Minister urged major tech companies to implement device-level safeguards aimed at preventing children from taking, sharing, or viewing nude images.
“I’m making sure Britain is the first country in the world to make it impossible for children to take, share or view nude images. And I expect tech firms to make that happen. This is not an impossible challenge – these are some of the most innovative companies in the world. But if they choose not to, then we will act and change the law,” Starmer warned.
Under the proposed measures, companies such as Apple and Google would be required to activate built-in tools or develop new technical solutions on smartphones and tablets capable of detecting and blocking nude imagery for minors.
The government argues these measures would help prevent predators from exploiting children through digital devices, while also restricting minors’ access to pornography. Adults, meanwhile, would still be able to access and share such content through age verification systems.
Signal criticised the proposals, warning that they could have far-reaching implications for privacy and civil liberties.
“The UK government’s demand that all content on all devices sold or used in the UK be scanned on the presumption of nudity, using a dystopian combination of age verification and content scanning, will not safeguard children”, Signal warned in a statement.
“It endangers us all, whilst strengthening Apple, Google, and Microsoft’s market dominance and their control over our most personal information”, the company added.
The platform also warned that such systems could be expanded beyond their original purpose.
“They will be expanded, forming a dangerous tool that will be wielded both in the UK and abroad to censor and surveil whatever they might consider ‘threats’ or ‘harmful content,’” it said.
“Promises that this system will only run on-device are cold comfort. Wherever it runs, including the “camera” itself once it is in place on UK devices – its scope will be defined by the whims and proscriptions of the government to detect nudity today and political speech tomorrow,” they insisted.
It is not the first time that the US messaging company opposes an EU government over regulation. Last year they threatened to pull out of France over a proposed law where the government has demanded the ability to look into private chats.
