New Warnings Issued Over AI Risks to Children’s Privacy

Parents are being urged to stop sharing photos of their children on public social media accounts. This new warning comes from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). These organizations are concerned about the rapid growth of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, often called CSAM. This is illegal content that shows children in sexual situations, even if the images were created by a computer rather than by photographing a real child.

According to the IWF, the number of these fake, harmful images and videos has risen sharply. In 2025, the organization identified more than 8,000 AI-generated pieces of abuse material, which is a 14% increase from the year before. Most concerning is the jump in AI-generated videos, which rose from 13 cases in 2024 to 3,440 in 2025. The NCA noted that many parents are unaware that their public posts are being used by criminals to create this material without ever needing to contact the children directly.

This issue is closely linked to the practice of "sharenting," a term used to describe parents who frequently share photos or videos of their children online. While many parents post these pictures to share happy memories with family and friends, experts warn that these images can be "scraped" or collected by criminals. These criminals then use AI tools to manipulate the photos, such as removing clothing or creating fake sexual content. The Guardian reports that some teenagers have already been blackmailed by people who threatened to share these fake images unless they received money or other favors.

To help families stay safe, the NCA and IWF have released specific guidance. They suggest that parents should review their privacy settings on all social media apps. By making accounts private or creating a "close friends" group, parents can ensure that only people they know and trust can see their children's photos. The guidance also suggests that parents look back at old posts to see if they should delete any images that show identifying details, such as a child’s face or their school uniform. These details can make it easier for criminals to target specific children.

Beyond personal social media, the guidance also addresses how organizations handle images. Schools and sports clubs are being encouraged to check their own websites and social media pages. In some cases, blackmailers have targeted school websites to steal photos of students, which they then turn into harmful AI content. As a result, some groups now recommend that schools remove clear photos of pupils from public view. Parents are also encouraged to revisit any consent forms they have signed, which give schools or clubs permission to publish photos of their children.

Lorna Sinclair, a child sexual abuse education manager at the NCA, explained that most parents do not realize the danger. She noted that the average person does not post a picture thinking it will be turned into illegal material. However, the technology has become so easy to use that criminals no longer need to "groom" or build a relationship with a victim to create this content. Instead, they simply take what is already available on the public internet.

For many, this advice is difficult to hear. Dan Sexton, the chief technology officer at the IWF, admitted that he feels uncomfortable telling parents they should not share photos of their children. However, he stated that he sees no other choice given the current risks. The government is also trying to help by banning certain "nudification" apps and updating laws to ensure that AI companies take responsibility for preventing their systems from being used to create abuse material.

Ultimately, the experts hope that these steps will help parents feel more in control. The guidance suggests that parents should talk to their children about how their images are used. By including children in these discussions, parents can help them understand why privacy is important and give them the confidence to say no when they do not want a photo taken or shared. While AI is becoming a part of everyday life, the NCA and IWF emphasize that simple changes to online habits can make a significant difference in protecting children from these modern digital threats.