The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) has put forth significant guidance advising parents against publicly sharing images of their children online, in response to the alarming increase in AI-generated sexual abuse material. This initiative, developed in collaboration with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), encourages caregivers to reassess their social media practices by either making accounts private or sharing photos within designated “close friends” groups.
Both agencies emphasize they’re not dictating online behavior to parents but want to raise awareness about the risks associated with sharing images. In addition to changing privacy settings, they advise parents to sift through their social media profiles for old images that could pose risks and to revisit any consent agreements previously signed with schools or sports organizations that might be outdated given the advancements in AI technology.
Tim Wright, a senior figure at the NCA, urged parents and guardians to take proactive measures to safeguard their children’s images. The guidance outlines three key recommendations: check privacy settings on social media, assess who has access to images, and engage in transparent dialogues about consent regarding the sharing of children’s photos.
Many parents remain unaware that technological advancements have equipped criminals with the means to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from publicly available images without directly interacting with victims. Lorna Sinclair from the NCA pointed out that the average parent typically does not consider the possibility of their child's photos being misused in such a manner.
The IWF reported a 14% increase in AI-generated CSAM online last year, identifying over 8,000 AI-manipulated images and videos that year alone. Disturbingly, the IWF has fielded reports from minors who have faced extortion after their images were altered by AI. Additionally, a confidential service for removing unauthorized explicit images of minors has documented cases where innocent selfies have been transformed into sexually explicit content through AI technology.
Reports have surfaced, such as one from a 15-year-old girl whose likeness was used to create a convincing fake nude image by someone who appeared to have accessed her Instagram content. There have also been instances in which school websites have been exploited by blackmailers who converted student photographs into CSAM, leading to recommendations that schools remove identifiable images of students from their online presence.
Dan Sexton, the IWF’s chief technology officer, expressed discomfort at the necessity of advising against sharing children's images online, yet acknowledged the lack of safeguards makes this caution essential. He encouraged parents to exercise considerable caution regarding online sharing.
For those who still wish to share images, the NCA and IWF suggest creating “close friends” groups or limiting visibility settings to ensure only chosen individuals can view the content. Additionally, the NSPCC advocates for under-18s to maintain private social media accounts.
Videos accompanying the guidance illustrate everyday situations where parents capture images of their children, reminding them of the potential risks associated with public sharing. The NCA and IWF aim to empower both parents and children to confidently say "no" if they feel uncomfortable about sharing photos.
The social media audit aspect of the guidance calls for users to review their profiles to determine if their child’s likeness is publicly visible and whether they are comfortable with that. Parents are also encouraged to check for images uploaded by friends or family members and to have calm discussions regarding potential removal or privacy settings for those posts.
Finally, the IWF's marketing director, Tom Dyson, affirmed that parents have the right to request the removal of their children's photographs from any website or social media platform.
