UK parents warned over posting images of children amid AI sexual abuse fears

Parents should not put photos of their children on public display online, according to landmark guidance issued to tackle the rise of AI-generated sexual abuse material. The recommendation has come from the National Crime Agency and the Internet Watch Foundation, which fear that most people are unaware of the dangers posed by paedophiles and criminal networks. They suggest that parents and guardians make their social media accounts private or share pictures of their children through a “close friends” group. The NCA and the IWF stressed they were not telling parents how to behave online, but said they should be aware of the problem and how to tackle it. The guidance also recommends auditing social media accounts for old pictures that could be used by predators and revisiting photo consent agreements – for instance with schools or sports clubs – that could have been signed before breakthroughs in AI made image manipulation possible. “We encourage parents and carers to take a few simple steps today,” said Tim Wright, a senior manager at the NCA. The guidance sets out a trio of actions: checking privacy settings on social media accounts; reviewing who can see images of their children; and having open discussions
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