UK’s IWF backs on-device nudity detection to protect children online
Online safety efforts expand with IWF backing mandatory nudity blocking technology.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has welcomed a UK government proposal that would require technology companies to introduce on-device nudity detection and blocking features for children’s internet-connected devices used by children. The charity argues that preventing explicit images from being created or shared could significantly reduce the circulation of child sexual abuse material online.
The proposal follows growing concern over the increasing volume of so-called ‘self-generated’ child sexual abuse material, in which children are manipulated or coerced into creating explicit content.
According to IWF data, 311,610 reports containing child sexual abuse material were actioned during 2025, the highest number recorded by the organisation. Of those reports, 266,397 contained at least one self-generated image or video, underscoring the scale of the issue.
According to the IWF, children are frequently groomed, manipulated or coerced into producing sexual images that are subsequently distributed online. During 2025, analysts assessed more than 111,000 criminal images and almost 29,000 videos involving self-generated abuse material. More than 25,000 of those files were classified as Category A, the most severe category under UK law.
While supporting device-level protections, the organisation emphasised that no single intervention can address the problem on its own. It argues that effective child protection requires a combination of device safeguards, platform responsibility, law enforcement action and broader online safety policies.
Why does it matter?
The proposal reflects a growing shift towards preventative online safety measures that seek to stop harmful content from being created and shared, rather than relying solely on detection and removal after distribution.
The debate also highlights increasing concern about self-generated child sexual abuse material, which has become one of the fastest-growing categories of online abuse. If implemented effectively, device-level safeguards could become an important component of broader child protection strategies that also include platform responsibility, education initiatives and law enforcement action.
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