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xUK Government seeks to criminalise AI child abuse tools
Date: 11th February 2025
Category:
General measures of implementation, Civil Rights and Freedoms
The UK Government plans criminalise the possession, creation, or sharing of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that generate sexualised images of children. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the move is in response to a growing problem involving the misuse of AI.
The new law will criminalise using AI to produce abusive content by "nudeifying" real-life images of children or digitally placing their faces onto other explicit images. Offenders could face up to five years in prison. Additionally, possessing AI "paedophile manuals" that instruct users on how to exploit AI to abuse children will carry a prison sentence of up to three years. The UK Government also plans to target website operators who enable paedophiles to share child abuse content or provide advice on grooming children. Those convicted could face up to 10 years in prison.
These measures will be brought forward as part of the Crime and Policing Bill when it is introduced to the UK Parliament. The Bill is set to apply to England and Wales.
This move is a significant step in protecting children from technological exploitation. Similar concerns were raised in Together's recent State of Children's Rights Report. Children and young people shared their stories about dangers associated with the growing influence of AI. One of the participant of the report said:
AI makes it hard to tell if information/videos online is fake or correct.
- Click here to read the State of Children's Rights Report.
- Read the UK Government's press release here.