Parents should not publicly post images of their children online, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) have warned, as AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) surges. The IWF identified more than 8,000 AI-generated images and videos of realistic CSAM in 2025 – a 14% increase on the previous year – and the number of AI-generated videos skyrocketed from 13 in 2024 to 3,440 in 2025.
“While we and policing colleagues tackle offenders, prevention remains vital,” said Tim Wright, a senior manager at the NCA. The organisations stressed they were not telling parents how to behave online, but said most people are unaware that criminals can use publicly available AI tools to create CSAM from everyday photos. “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,” said Lorna Sinclair, a child sexual abuse education manager at the NCA. “There are lots of parents and carers who do not know that this problem exists.”
“NCA and IWF warn parents not to publicly share children's images as AI-generated child abuse material rises 14% in a year.”
The landmark guidance, released jointly by the NCA and IWF, recommends three steps: review privacy settings on social media to limit visibility of posts or make accounts private; audit existing images for identifying details such as faces or school uniforms and delete risky ones; and revisit consent forms signed with schools, clubs or other organisations before breakthroughs in AI made image manipulation possible. The guidance also suggests sharing pictures through a “close friends” group rather than publicly, and including children in discussions about how and where their image is shared.
The IWF has been contacted by under-18s who were blackmailed after their images were nudified by AI, and the Report Remove service – which helps remove explicit images of under-18s taken without consent – has reported examples of such manipulation. The government has banned so-called “nudification” apps and amended laws to require AI firms to prevent their systems from producing CSAM.
“AI is becoming a part of everyday life,” the guidance states. “Whilst it has many benefits, it can also be misused – including by those who use it to make, manipulate and share nude, semi-nude or sexual images and videos of children.” The NCA and IWF said the advice aims to support parents in understanding the particular threats about CSAM and the increasing role AI is playing in it. “Hearing about this as a parent or carer can feel alarming, but you are not alone,” the guidance adds. “It’s important to know there are steps you can take, many of which you may already be doing, to help better protect your child.”