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The British government is cracking down on the usage of generative AI tools to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The UK Home Office announced on Saturday, February 1, four new pieces of legislation aimed at tackling the threat of AI-generated CSAM, according to a report by BBC. These legal measures will reportedly be tabled in Parliament as part of a broader Crime and Policing Bill in the coming weeks.
AI-generated CSAM includes images and videos of child sexual abuse that have been partially or completely created using text-to-image generation tools. AI-enabled software can also be used to “nudify” real images of children by replacing one child’s face with another.
Experts have warned that generative AI is making CSAM look more realistic and has led to a sharp rise in its spread.
AI-generated CSAM has risen 380 per cent, with 245 confirmed reports in 2024 compared with 51 reports in 2023, according to the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) data.
In a first, the UK has made it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to create CSAM with a punishment of up to five years in prison.
Those found to be in possession of AI paedophile manuals that teach others how to use AI for generating CSAM face a three-year prison sentence. Offenders who run websites for paedophiles to share CSAM or provide advice on how to groom children will face a 10-year prison term.
In addition, the UK’s Border Force has been empowered to inspect the digital devices of individuals who are suspected to pose a sexual risk to children. This means that people attempting to enter the UK may be asked to unlock their devices as CSAM is often filmed outside the country, as per BBC.
Immigrants found to be in possession of AI-generated CSAM may be punishable by up to three years in prison, depending on the severity of the images.
“What we’re seeing is that AI is now putting the online child abuse on steroids,” UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was quoted as saying.
“You have perpetrators who are using AI to help them better groom or blackmail teenagers and children, distorting images and using those to draw young people into further abuse, just the most horrific things taking place and also becoming more sadistic,” she further said.
“This is an area where the technology doesn’t stand still and our response cannot stand still to keep children safe,” Cooper remarked.
