iPhone will now warn parents if kids are SEXTING – and automatically blur out explicit pics
SEXTING warnings will be sent to parents of children who have an iPhone or iPad that is sending or receiving explicit images.
Apple also announced that it will report images of child abuse found in iClouds to law enforcement.
The new safety measures to protect children will initially roll out to Apple customers in the US.
There are plans for the features to come to the UK and the rest of the world at a later date.
Apple hopes its plan will limit the spread of child sexual abuse material.
The tech giant will scan the iPhone Messages app based on the age of the person who has set up an account on the device.
"When receiving this type of content, the photo will be blurred and the child will be warned, presented with helpful resources, and reassured it is okay if they do not want to view this photo.
"As an additional precaution, the child can also be told that, to make sure they are safe, their parents will get a message if they do view it.
"The ability to add scanning systems like this to end-to-end encryption messaging systems has been a major ask by law enforcement the world over.
"This sort of tool can be a boon for finding child pornography in people’s phones. But imagine what it could do in the hands of an authoritarian government."
Apple has said the tools are designed with user privacy and safety in mind and photos in your photo album won't be scanned.
In other news, Facebook has launched new "prayer tools" which offer US megachurches the chance to raise funds and listen to prayer requests.
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