UK Children Using AI to Create Indecent Images

Overview

• Children in the UK are using AI image generators to create indecent images of other children, according to reports from schools received by the UK Safer Internet Centre (UKSIC).
• Such images, whether created out of curiosity or with harmful intent, are considered child sexual abuse material under UK law and can circulate online, potentially being used for blackmail.
• Research suggests that about a third of students are using AI to access inappropriate content online, and that students' understanding of AI is often more advanced than their teachers', creating a knowledge gap.
• UKSIC is calling for urgent action, including a collaborative approach involving parents, schools, and governments, to prevent the problem from escalating.
• AI-generated images of child sexual abuse are so realistic that they can be indistinguishable from real imagery, even to trained analysts, according to the Internet Watch Foundation.