UK to Become First Country to Ban AI Tools for Child Abuse
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported a surge in Ban AI-generated abuse images, with 3,512 identified over just 30 days on a single dark web site in 2024.
The new laws will make it illegal to create, possess, or distribute AI tools designed to generate sexual images of children.
Additionally, possessing AI “paedophile manuals,” which instruct individuals on how to use Ban AI for child sexual abuse, will be punishable by up to three years in prison, according to Interior Minister Yvette Cooper.
Cooper emphasized that online predators often lead to real-life abuse, underscoring the importance of addressing both online and offline threats. “Our goal is to keep children safe from the growing risk of AI-generated abuse,” she stated.
The new legislation targets AI technologies used to “nudeify” children’s real images or swap their faces onto explicit content.
It will also make it a crime for individuals who run websites that distribute abusive material or provide advice on grooming children, with a potential sentence of up to ten years.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported a surge in Ban AI-generated abuse images, with 3,512 identified over just 30 days on a single dark web site in 2024.
The number of the most serious images has increased by 10% over the past year.