Michelle ThompsonBritain has announced it will make it illegal to use AI tools for creating child sexual abuse images, becoming the first country to introduce such offenses. Current laws already make possessing, creating, showing, or distributing explicit images of children a crime in England and Wales. The new measures specifically target the use of AI to alter real images of children to appear sexually explicit.
This move comes as online criminals increasingly exploit AI to generate child abuse material, with reports of such images rising nearly five times in 2024, according to the Internet Watch Foundation. Yvette Cooper, the UK’s interior minister, emphasized the importance of tackling online child sexual abuse to protect the public from emerging threats. Criminals are also using AI to disguise their identities and blackmail children with fake images, leading to further abuse.
The new offenses will criminalize the possession, creation, or distribution of AI tools intended to generate child sexual abuse material, as well as the possession of so-called “pedophile manuals” that instruct on using these tools. Additionally, the law will target those who run websites distributing such content and allow authorities to unlock digital devices for inspection.
These measures will be included in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill in parliament. Earlier this month, Britain also announced it would make creating and sharing sexually explicit “deepfakes” a criminal offense.
Emily Martinez
