UK parents and guardians are being strongly advised against publicly sharing photographs of their children online, as part of new landmark guidance aimed at combating the increasing threat of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The National Crime Agency (NCA) and the child safety watchdog, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), have issued recommendations urging individuals to make their social media accounts private or to share images of their children exclusively within 'close friends' groups.
The joint guidance, while emphasising that it is not dictating parental behaviour, aims to raise awareness of the concerning issue and equip families with practical steps to mitigate risks. Recommendations include reviewing existing social media accounts for older photographs that could be vulnerable to exploitation by predators, and revisiting photo consent agreements, particularly those made years ago with entities such as schools or sports clubs, before the significant advancements in AI technology that enable image manipulation.
Tim Wright, a senior manager at the NCA, encouraged parents to take immediate action, outlining three key steps: checking social media privacy settings, reviewing who has access to images of their children, and engaging in open discussions about granting permission for people and organisations to publish children's images online. The NCA highlighted that many parents are likely unaware that technological breakthroughs have provided criminals with readily available tools to create CSAM without needing to directly contact or 'groom' victims.
Lorna Sinclair, a child sexual abuse education manager at the NCA, underscored this lack of awareness, stating that most parents do not post pictures of their children online anticipating they might be 'scraped' and transformed into CSAM. The IWF reported a 14% increase in AI-generated CSAM last year, identifying 8,029 realistic AI-made images and videos in 2025. The organisation has also received reports from under-18s who have been blackmailed after their images were 'nudified' by AI, and a confidential service, Report Remove, has seen cases of fully-clothed selfies being converted into extreme pornography.
The new guidance follows disturbing incidents, including cases where UK school websites were targeted by blackmailers who scraped pupils' photos, used AI to create CSAM, and then threatened publication. The early warning working group (EWWG), an advisory body including the NCA and IWF, has since recommended schools remove identifiable facial images of pupils from their websites and social media. Dan Sexton, the IWF's chief technology officer, admitted his discomfort in advising parents against public photo sharing, but felt it was a necessary measure given the lack of protection against such exploitation.
The children's charity NSPCC also aligns with this advice, recommending that under-18s maintain private settings on their social media accounts. The guidance is accompanied by videos illustrating fictional everyday scenarios where parents are reminded of the risks associated with sharing photos, from sporting events to school gates.
Source: The Guardian