New iMessage feature allows children to report nudity to Apple

Change is part of a beta release in Australia that expands on existing detection defaulted for under-13 users

Apple is introducing a new feature to iMessage in Australia that will allow children to report nude images and video being sent to them directly to the company, which could then report the messages to police.

The change comes as part of Thursday’s beta releases of the new versions of Apple’s operating systems for Australian users. It is an extension of communications safety measures that have been turned on by default since iOS 17 for Apple users under 13 but are available to all users. Under the existing safety features, an iPhone automatically detects images and videos that contain nudity children might receive or attempt to send in iMessage, AirDrop, FaceTime and Photos. The detection happens on devices to protect privacy.