Published Date : 03/02/2025
The UK government has unveiled four new laws aimed at combating the creation and distribution of child sexual abuse images generated by artificial intelligence (AI).
These measures, announced by the Home Office, make the UK the first country to specifically target AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) with legal action.
Offenders could face up to five years in prison for possessing, creating, or distributing AI tools designed to generate such material.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, speaking to the BBC, emphasized the urgency of the issue.
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Q: What are the new laws announced by the UK government?
A: The UK government has announced four new laws to tackle AI-generated child sexual abuse images. These include making it illegal to possess, create, or distribute AI tools designed to generate such material, with penalties of up to five years in prison. Possessing AI paedophile manuals and running websites for sharing child sexual abuse content will also be made illegal, with severe penalties.
Q: What is AI-generated CSAM?
A: AI-generated CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material) involves images that are either partly or completely computer-generated. This can include software that 'nudifies' real images or replaces the face of one child with another, creating highly realistic images. In some cases, the real voices of children are used, leading to the re-victimization of innocent survivors.
Q: What are the penalties for offenders under these new laws?
A: Offenders can face up to five years in prison for possessing, creating, or distributing AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material. Possessing AI paedophile manuals will result in up to three years in prison, and running websites for sharing such content or providing advice on grooming children can lead to up to 10 years in prison.
Q: How will the Border Force be involved in enforcing these laws?
A: The Border Force will be given powers to instruct individuals suspected of posing a sexual risk to children to unlock their digital devices for inspection when entering the UK. Depending on the severity of the images found, this could result in up to three years in prison.
Q: What do experts say about the effectiveness of these new laws?
A: While experts like Prof Clare McGlynn welcome the new laws, they believe more could be done. McGlynn calls for the banning of 'nudify' apps and addressing the normalization of sexual activity with young-looking girls on mainstream porn sites. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) also emphasizes the need for ongoing efforts to prevent AI technology from being exploited.