UK Advises Parents to Not Post Children Publicly Over AI Abuse Concerns

Published JUL 4

story

Above: In this photo illustration a 14-year-old boy looks at an iPhone screen displaying various social media and messaging apps in Bath, England, on March 29. Image credit: Anna Barclay/Getty Images

The Spin

Pro-government narrative

Guidance to parents is not enough. Big Tech has the tools at their disposal to reverse the deluge of CSAM that AI has brought on, and is revising legislation to make sure that distributors, enablers, traffickers, and generators of this material are punished to the full extent of the law. Tech companies must also ensure their models are not used for these purposes. This new scourge needs an appropriate response.

GOV.UK National Crime Agency

Government-critical narrative

AI-generated CSAM is abhorrent, but outrage can't be allowed to obliterate privacy rights in the U.K. The British response to this, including an invasive plan to scan all phones for CSAM, would make Britons and their children less safe, as bad actors have access to those same backdoors. Parents should be trusted to be prudent and share images wisely — the answer isn't another Big Brother intervention.

Electronic Frontier Foundation Mark Hendy