Tech giant Apple has announced that it will now scan and blur photos containing nudity sent and received by children in the UK.
The step came after rising concerns among parents about cyber-safety after the average age for a British child to have a smartphone was reduced to 7.
The feature was already launched in the US four months ago, and now it has been made public in the United Kingdom.
The feature, which can be moderated by parents only, will scan images sent and received by children for nudity and blur the images automatically.
After blurring the photo, the phone will give the child three options, they can decide to view the photo themselves, message an adult they trust or block the contact.
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The safety tool will be off by default and parents can enable it in the screen time settings of the phone.
Apple explained ‘Messages offers the child several ways to get help — including leaving the conversation, blocking the contact, leaving a group message, and accessing online safety resources — and reassures the child that it’s okay if they don’t want to view the photo or continue the conversation.’
Moreover, Messages will automatically prompt them to start a conversation with their parent or guardians if the child is under 13.