A troubling discovery by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) about the emergence of AI-generated child sexual abuse material. The IWF has identified that generative AI models are being used to create deepfake videos featuring real child abuse victims, a new and alarming development in online child exploitation.

Key points from the report include:

1. AI Models for Abuse: AI models are being specifically designed to create deepfake videos of child sexual abuse, using images of real victims to generate new abusive material. These models are often freely available online, making the technology accessible to criminals.
2. Real Victims Exploited: The IWF highlights cases like “Olivia” (a pseudonym), who was abused as a child. Despite being rescued, images of her are now being used to create new deepfake videos, prolonging her victimization.
3. Proliferation on the Dark Web: Between March and April of the current year, the IWF found nine deepfake videos on a dark web forum dedicated to child sexual abuse material. These videos included altered adult pornography and existing abuse footage with superimposed faces of children.
4. Increasing Threat: The report notes a significant increase in the number of AI-generated child sexual abuse images, with concerns that as AI technology advances, the material will become even more realistic and harder to detect.
5. Public Awareness and Action: The IWF calls for increased public awareness and action to combat this growing issue, emphasizing the need for better technology and legal frameworks to detect and prevent the spread of AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

The report underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to address the misuse of AI technology in creating and disseminating child sexual abuse material, highlighting the ongoing challenges in protecting vulnerable victims from digital exploitation.

Read the full report here: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Production of Child Sexual Abuse Imagery

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