The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children reports a major increase in child exploitation cases involving use of AI-generated images.
NORTH CAROLINA, USA — Children are at an increasing risk of manipulation, grooming and sextortion by online coercion tactics and generative AI, the NC Center for Missing Persons said.
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) released data from 2024 showing a 1,325% increase in reports of generative AI used in child sexual exploitation.
Generative AI has been an emerging technology for the past few years. Users can input prompts and receive artificially generated images.
While the output images are fake, they can appear realistic. NCMEC warns parents and all internet users that online predators are using generative AI to manipulate children online and offline.
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There are several ways generative AI is being used to harm children.
Predators can use generative AI to invent a false online persona to communicate with children online with intent to harm, says NCMEC. Generative AI can also create child sexual abuse material using people’s real images. From there, forged images can be distributed online or spread in real life, which causes severe psychological, social and emotional harm.
Forged images can also be used to blackmail children, whether it be for sexual coercion or money. Crimes like these are called financial sextortion.
There were almost 100 reports of financial sextortion submitted each day to the NCMEC, with a majority of cases targeting teenage boys.
At least 36 boys took their own lives because they were victims of online financial sextortion.
The increase in crimes and child exploitation like this has caused alarm for the NC Center for Missing Persons, which was involved in almost 500 missing children investigations in 2024.
“These threats are not abstract, and they are not limited to any one community,” Morrissa Ahl-Moyer, director of NCCMP, said. “We are seeing predators use increasingly sophisticated tactics, including fake profiles, AI-generated images and financial blackmail to manipulate kids from behind a screen. It can happen to anyone.”
Ahl-Moyer encourages parents to discuss with children online safety, interactions on social media and gaming platforms, digital risks and places to report suspicious or harmful online activity, such as the NCMEC’s CyberTipline.
“Parents don’t need to be tech experts to protect their children,” Ahl-Moyer said. “They just need to be present, aware and informed. A ten-minute conversation can prevent a life-altering situation.”
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