Writes Aphrodite, Content writer
Headline Diplomat eMagazine, LUDCI.eu
Introduction
In an era where artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing countless industries, a disturbing trend is emerging that requires urgent attention. Recent reports from a UK charity reveal a significant rise in AI-generated child sexual abuse material. Lucy faithful Foundation’s research reveals that two-thirds (66%) of UK adults are concerned about advances in artificial intelligence (AI), particularly its potential to harm children. Despite this widespread concern, 70% are unaware that AI technology is already being used to create sexual images of minors.
Although the vast majority (88%) of respondents believe that AI-generated sexual images of under-18s should be illegal, a troubling 40% either did not know or incorrectly believed that this content is legal in the UK. In reality, UK law strictly prohibits the creation, viewing, or sharing of sexual images of minors, including those generated by AI technologies.
This article discusses the implications of this issue, highlighting the need for increased public awareness, stringent regulations, and robust action against perpetrators.
Society Needs to Be Alert: The Hidden Threat of AI-Generated Child Abuse Content
Recent reports indicate a troubling increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse material, according to the Lucy Faithful Foundation. Despite widespread concern about AI, a new survey reveals that approximately 70 percent of people are unaware of its role in creating such harmful content.
The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, a UK-based child protection charity, surveyed over 2,500 people and found that 88 percent agreed AI-generated sexual images of minors should be illegal. However, 40 percent either didn’t know this content was illegal or mistakenly believed it was legal in the UK. This highlights a significant knowledge gap among the public regarding the legal status and dangers of AI-generated child abuse material.
Donald Findlater, director of the Stop It Now helpline, emphasized the rapid exploitation of AI by child sex offenders. “Every day, we are called by people being arrested for viewing sexual abuse of children, including an increasing number of AI-generated images,” he said.
Findlater says, “With AI and its capabilities rapidly evolving, it’s vital that people understand the dangers and how this technology is being exploited by online child sex offenders every day”. He stressed the importance of public awareness and vigilance in addressing this issue, noting that society must recognize the severe consequences of such actions and the rights of children to protection and respect. He added that research shows there are serious knowledge gaps amongst the public regarding AI – specifically its ability to cause harm to children.
The Growing Threat of AI-Generated Sexual Content
A report by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) last year highlighted the alarming spread of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. Out of 11,000 AI-generated images on a dark web forum, more than 2,500 were deemed criminal. IWF CEO Susie Hargreaves noted the disturbing trend of using AI to manipulate images of real victims, de-age celebrities, and commercialize such content. This not only exacerbates the abuse but also complicates efforts to identify and protect victims.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Child Protection and Abuse Investigation, Ian Critchley, underscored the gravity of the issue. “Creating, viewing, and sharing sexual images of children – including those made by AI – is never victimless and is against the law. We will find you,” he warned. The UK police made 1,700 arrests in a year using undercover officers, though not all were linked to AI-created content.
The Role of Platforms and Regulation
Experts call for increased regulation of AI companies and social media platforms. Researchers found over 3,200 images of suspected child sexual abuse in the dataset used to train the generative AI tool Stable Diffusion. The Internet Watch Foundation identified Stable Diffusion as a tool favored by child sex abuse imagery producers, due to its inability to prevent misuse effectively.
Detective Superintendent Frank Rayner from the Australian Centre To Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), says, “We do anticipate this increasing, very much so”.
“The tools that people can access online to create and modify using AI are expanding and they’re becoming more sophisticated as well. You can jump onto a web browser and enter your prompts in and do text-to-image or text-to-video and have a result in minutes”.
Over 12 months, the ACCCE received 40,232 reports of child sexual exploitation and charged 186 offenders with 925 child exploitation-related offences last financial year. Detective Superintendent Rayner said reports had been steadily increasing. “And in the last calendar year we’ve received near to 49,500 reports,” he said.
Donald Findlater advocated for tighter regulations and better technology to prevent the creation and distribution of AI-generated child abuse images. X (formerly Twitter) was fined €366,742 by Australia in October 2023 for failing to explain how it tackled child sexual exploitation content. Similarly, Meta’s decision to implement end-to-end encryption raised concerns about providing a safe haven for child abusers. The EU extended an interim measure to combat child sexual abuse content until April 2026, allowing internet providers to search for and report such content.
Conclusion
The rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse material is a grave concern that requires immediate and decisive action. Public awareness must be heightened, and legal frameworks need to adapt swiftly to address this new form of abuse. Society must recognize the severity of this issue and work collectively to protect the most vulnerable.
Call to Action
It is crucial for individuals, tech companies, and governments to unite in combating the misuse of AI for creating child sexual abuse material. Increased regulation, better technology safeguards, and public education are essential steps. If you or someone you know is affected, seek help immediately through confidential services like the Stop It Now helpline. Together, we can ensure a safer future for our children.
Featured photo: cottonbro studio: https://www.pexels.com/el-gr/photo/5473956/
