WIREDGOV

The Children’s Commissioner is calling on the government to introduce a total ban on apps that use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate sexually explicit ‘deepfake’ images of children.  

• “I’m worried this could happen to me” – children tell Commissioner they fear becoming a victim of apps that use Generative AI to create sexually explicit images  
• Widespread availability and misuse of AI tools makes it easier than ever to create explicit content, particularly against girls who are withdrawing from online spaces  
• Commissioner demands immediate ban on apps that use AI to create naked images of children: “There is no positive reason for these to exist.” 

Dame Rachel de Souza’s new report exposes how Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is being misused to create sexually explicit deepfake images of real people, and the alarming effect these ‘nudification’ tools are already having on children’s safety, wellbeing and participation online. 

Despite being relatively new technology, GenAI – which is often free to use and widely available – has supercharged the growth of these tools. While it is illegal to create or share a sexually explicit image of a child, the technology enabling them remains legal – and it is no longer confined to corners of the dark web but now accessible through large social media platforms and search engines.

Click here for the full press release