The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) has issued landmark guidance recommending that parents refrain from posting photos of their children on public social media accounts to combat the rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The guidance, developed in partnership with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), advises parents to make their accounts private or share images through a “close friends” group.
Rising threat of AI-generated CSAM
The IWF reported a 14% increase in AI-generated CSAM in 2025, identifying 8,029 realistic images and videos. The NCA and IWF stressed they are not dictating parental behavior but aim to raise awareness of the risks. Tim Wright, a senior manager at the NCA, said, “We encourage parents and carers to take a few simple steps today.”
The guidance outlines three key actions: checking privacy settings, reviewing who can see images of children, and having open discussions about consent for publishing images online. Lorna Sinclair, a child sexual abuse education manager at the NCA, noted, “The average parent or carer does not post a picture of a child online thinking that it might be scraped to be turned into CSAM.”
Real-world cases and blackmail
The IWF has received reports of under-18s being blackmailed after their images were “nudified” by AI. The Report Remove service, which helps remove explicit images of under-18s, has also seen cases where normal selfies were converted into extreme pornography. In one case, a 15-year-old girl told Childline that a stranger created a “really convincing” fake nude using her face and bedroom, sourced from her Instagram account.
UK school websites have been targeted by blackmailers who scraped images of children, used AI to create CSAM, and threatened to publish them. The Early Warning Working Group (EWWG), which includes the NCA and IWF, has recommended schools remove identifiable images of pupils from their websites and social media.
Expert advice and caution
Dan Sexton, the IWF’s chief technology officer, expressed discomfort but said, “I would be very cautious [about putting pictures of children online] because there is no protection.” The guidance also advises auditing social media accounts for old photos and reviewing consent forms signed with schools or clubs. Tom Dyson, the IWF’s head of marketing, stated, “If you want a photograph of your children to be taken off a website or social media you are perfectly able to do that.”
The NSPCC also recommends that under-18s keep their social media accounts private. The NCA and IWF have released videos showing fictional scenarios of parents taking photos in everyday settings, encouraging families to say “no” to sharing photos online if uncomfortable.
