Artificial intelligence can now generate fake images and videos of child sexual abuse. These images don't depict real children, but they normalise abuse, fuel demand for real CSAM, and are illegal to create or distribute in the UK. As a parent, you need to know what this is, why it matters, and what to do if your child encounters it.
What AI-generated CSAM is
AI-generated child sexual abuse material (often called "deepfake CSAM" or synthetic CSAM) is fake imagery created using artificial intelligence tools. It depicts children in sexual situations, but no real child was photographed or abused to make it.
It's not theoretical. The Internet Watch Foundation (which monitors online child abuse in the UK) found that reports of synthetic CSAM have doubled year-on-year. Some of this material is being created using freely available AI image generators; other material is made with tools designed specifically for this purpose on the dark web.
Most importantly: synthetic CSAM is illegal in the UK. Creating it, distributing it, or possessing it with intent to distribute carries criminal penalties. But the ease of generation means the volume is growing fast, and it's increasingly appearing on mainstream platforms, encrypted messaging apps, and gaming communities where young people spend time.
Why this matters for your child
Your child may encounter AI-generated CSAM in three ways:
They stumble on it accidentally — through a link shared in a gaming chat, on a platform they use, or via a stranger online.
Someone sends it to them deliberately — to normalise abuse, to groom them, or as a form of abuse itself.
They're asked to create it or have their image used — a peer or adult may ask them to describe a scenario for an AI tool, or may feed their photos into a generator without consent to create synthetic abuse images of them. This is a form of sexual abuse and image-based abuse.
Even though no real child is depicted, the effect is real: normalisation of child abuse, psychological harm to the young person who's the subject of a synthetic image, and criminal activity that feeds broader abuse networks.
Warning signs your child has encountered it
In conversation:
- They mention being asked to describe scenarios or "help create stories" online.
- They say someone has threatened to create or share fake images of them.
- They're unusually withdrawn after using their phone or talking to someone online.
In behaviour:
- They delete their browsing history more than usual.
- They seem anxious about people they're talking to online.
- They ask questions about whether AI can "create fake pictures" or seem scared when this topic comes up.
In their devices:
- Unusual apps or browser extensions installed that they can't explain.
- Links in their chat history from unfamiliar sources.
- Messages suggesting they've been sent image files they won't show you.
None of these alone means something has happened, but they're worth a gentle, curious conversation.