Skip to main content

Apple rolls out nudity-scanning feature on Messages to UK, other countries

Apple last year launched a safety feature in the U.S. that scans for sexually explicit images in the Messages app on iPhones, iPads, and Macs used by children younger than 18, and warns them and their parents when they receive or send them. Now, the company is rolling out that feature to iOS users in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

The Guardian first reported that Apple users living in the U.K. will see the nudity-scanning feature, called “Communication Safety,” in the Messages app relatively soon, although the exact date is unknown. It’s already live in Canada as part of the iOS 15.5 beta update, but it’s unknown when users in the other aforementioned countries will receive the feature.

Screenshots of Apple's new nudity-scanning feature.
Apple

To refresh your memory on how the nudity-scanning feature works, parents can toggle it on in the Screen Time settings for their child’s account. Any incoming or outgoing nude photo is automatically blurred and warning notifications pop up to provide the child (or teen) with guidance on how to seek help, redirecting them to online safety resources and reassuring them that it’s OK if they do not want to see the photo or to continue the conversation. They’re also advised to message a trusted adult about the inappropriate photo and to block the contact that sent them said photo. The Messages app triggers a text exchange with the child’s parents or guardians if they’re younger than 13.

Recommended Videos

Minors living in the U.K., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand will be seeing the same warnings and get the same options to talk to a trusted adult about the unsolicited photos they received. They will also be redirected to online safety resources specific to their region.

When the feature was announced in August, child safety advocates applauded Apple’s latest effort to combat child sexual abuse (CSA) and protect children from sexual predators, but critics pointed out some of its privacy flaws. They decried that the feature’s original programming of automatically notifying parents of images containing nudity regardless of the minor user’s age would out LGBTQ+ kids to parents, who could potentially abuse them, kick them out of their homes, or otherwise punish them, and that the scanned photos would be stored to iCloud Photos for Apple moderators to review and send to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The controversy led to Apple delaying the release of the photo-scanning feature, as well as other child safety features, to November.

Cristina Alexander
Gaming/Mobile Writer
Cristina Alexander is a gaming and mobile writer at Digital Trends. She blends fair coverage of games industry topics that…
Apple could soon fix Wi-Fi access woes across all your devices
Setting up Wi-Fi on an iPhone.

One of the biggest hassles while traveling is the hunt for a decent internet connection, and then getting it to work across all your devices. The conundrum is now mainstream across hotels, lodges, and coffee shops — essentially all the establishments a person is supposed to spend a few hours of their day, but needs to fill a web form first before they can get internet access.

Apple will soon put an end to those Wi-Fi registration struggles. According to Bloomberg, the company is working on “a system that can synchronize captive Wi-Fi access details across the iPhone, iPad and Mac.”

Read more
Apple admits Siri’s AI features are “taking a bit longer” than expected
Pulling up Siri on lock screen of iPhone.

On an earnings call with analysts yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the more advanced Siri is under active development, but it could still be a while before it arrives. He assured callers that Apple is "making progress," but didn't give any indication of a launch window. Cook spoke extensively about the Apple Intelligence features that have already been released on iOS 18, including Genmoji, Clean Up, ChatGPT integration, and more.

Cook went on to say, "With regard to the more personal Siri features we announced, we need more time to complete our work on these features so they meet our high-quality bar. We are making progress, and we look forward to getting these features into customers’ hands."

Read more
iPhone theft victim sues Apple. It sparks a new hope for others, too
The iPhone 16 sticking out of someone's pocket.

Smartphones are the center of our digital existence. Not just because they open the doors for communication and social connection, but also due to their role as gatekeepers of our financial and professional lives. 

Needless to say, a stolen iPhone can upend your life in many ways, but it’s even harder to recover those precious files stored on the device. A few victims of iPhone theft may finally have a chance, thanks to a lawsuit against Apple over not offering enough help in recovery efforts.

Read more