Apple and Google have missed a deadline set by the UK government to deploy technology that would identify and block child sexual abuse material on smartphones and devices. The failure to meet this target has prompted the government to escalate its response.

The UK government is now planning to introduce legislation that would enforce compliance through financial penalties and criminal liability for companies that fail to implement such protections. The government has also signaled that these requirements could be extended to other major platforms including Snapchat and Instagram.