UK reveals laws to prevent AI from making child sexual abuse pictures
The laws grant the technology secretary and home secretary authority to approve AI developers and child protection groups, such as the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), to test AI systems and verify that they cannot be exploited to create illegal content.
The move follows alarming data from the IWF, which shows a sharp increase in reports of AI-generated child abuse material, rising from 199 cases in 2024 to 426 in 2025. Reports involving infants aged 0-2 also surged dramatically, climbing from five to 92 cases.
Analysis by gender indicates that girls remain the primary victims, representing 94% of illegal AI-generated images in 2025, though there has been a slight increase in cases involving boys.
Current criminal laws prohibit the creation or possession of such material, limiting developers’ ability to safely test AI systems to identify potential vulnerabilities before they are exploited. The new legislation will allow authorized testers to examine AI models in a controlled setting, ensuring safety measures are integrated from the start.
“We will not allow technological advancement to outpace our ability to keep children safe. These new laws will ensure AI systems can be made safe at the source, preventing vulnerabilities that could put children at risk,” Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said in a statement.
“By empowering trusted organizations to scrutinize their AI models, we are ensuring child safety is designed into AI systems, not bolted on as an afterthought.”
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
