UK set to intruduce new measures to target AI-generated child sex abuse images

By Burak Bir

LONDON (AA) - Britain will be the first country to create new AI sexual abuse offenses to protect children from predators generating AI images, the Home Office announced on Tuesday.

The UK government is set to introduce four new measures to make sure that children will be protected from the growing threat of predators generating AI images and from online sexual abuse.

The Home Office said in a statement that AI tools are being used to generate child sexual abuse images in several sickening ways, including by "nudeifying" real-life images of children or by stitching the faces of other children onto existing child sexual abuse images.

"The real-life voices of children are also often used in this sickening material, meaning innocent survivors of traumatic abuse are being re-victimised," it noted.

To protect children from the "growing threat of predators generating AI images and from online sexual abuse," with new laws, the UK will make it illegal to possess, create, or distribute AI tools designed to generate Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), punishable by up to five years in prison.

It will also make it illegal for anyone to possess AI "paedophile manuals," which teach people how to use AI to sexually abuse children, punishable by up to three years in prison.

"At the same time, the Home Office will introduce a specific offence for predators who run websites designed for other paedophiles to share vile child sexual abuse content or advice on how to groom children, punishable by up to 10 years in prison," the statement said.

The Home Office will also give the Border Force the necessary powers to keep the UK safe and prevent the distribution of CSAM, punishable by up to three years in prison, depending on the severity.

"All 4 measures will be introduced as part of the Crime and Policing Bill when it comes to Parliament," said the statement.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said these four new laws are "bold measures" designed to keep children safe online as technologies evolve.

"It is vital that we tackle child sexual abuse online as well as offline so we can better protect the public from new and emerging crimes as part of our plan for change," she added.