Paedophiles use AI to sell child sexual abuse images, report says

Paedophiles are using AI to create and sell life-like child sexual abuse images, shocking report reveals

  • An investigation claims that Stable Diffusion is being used to make abuse images

Paedophiles are using artificial intelligence (AI) to create life-like child sexual abuse images, it has been claimed.

A shocking investigation has alleged that depictions of babies and toddlers being raped are among numerous images produced by abusers using Stable Diffusion.

While the image generation software is intended to make artwork, the AI’s use of word prompts allows for any desire image to be formed.

The BBC claims these are then being sold and traded on the Japanese site of Pixiv, with accounts often leading to more explicit content on Patreon.

Journalist, Olivia Sheepshanks, told the publication: ‘Since AI-generated images became possible, there has been this huge flood… it’s not just very young girls, they’re [paedophiles] talking about toddlers.’

The National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) also said this was ‘outrageous’ and slammed platforms for not taking ‘moral responsibility’ over their content.

Ian Critchley, who leads on safeguarding at the NPCC, also added that these fake images could also encourage abusers to act out on a real child. 

In UK law, these AI-generated images are treated the same as a real pornographic photograph of a child which is illegal to possess or trade.

But sexualised cartoons of children are not illegal in Japan, which hosts the picture-sharing site Pixiv, meaning that creators can easily promote this content.

Even still,  a spokesman for the firm told the BBC that the platform had bolstered its monitoring systems to tackle this.

It is also understood that Pixiv banned photo-realistic AI images of children from May 31, but it is unclear what impact this has had.

‘The volume is just huge,’ Ms Sheepshanks continued.

‘So people [creators] will say “we aim to do at least 1,000 images a month”.’

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post Apple's next 18 devices revealed in huge leak
Next post Gabby Logan’s son slams mum’s ‘annoying’ jibes about his partying antics