The AFP is urging parents and carers to have open and non-judgemental conversations with their children about the dangers and harms caused by using artificial intelligence (AI) following an increase in the use of AI to create child abuse material.
The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) has witnessed an increase in the use of AI-generated child abuse material in the past year, including a rise in students creating material such as deepfakes for a variety of reasons, including to harass or embarrass classmates.
The growing extent of the problem was highlighted by the imprisonment of two Australian men last year, one of which possessed AI-generated child abuse material, while the other used an artificial intelligence program to produce child abuse images.
AFP Commander Helen Schneider said young people might not be aware that using AI to create material featuring their classmates could constitute a criminal offence.
"Children and young people are curious by nature, however, anything that depicts the abuse of someone under the age of 18 - whether that's videos, images, drawings or stories - is child abuse material, irrespective of whether it is 'real' or not," Commander Schneider said.
"The AFP encourages all parents and guardians to have open and honest conversations with their child on this topic, particularly as AI technology continues to become increasingly accessible and integrated into platforms and products.
"AFP-led education program ThinkUKnow has free resources available to assist parents and carers navigate these conversations, and information on where to get help if your child is a victim.
"These conversations can include how they interact with technology, what to do if they are exposed to child abuse material, bolstering privacy settings on online accounts, and declining unknown friend or follower requests."
In the 2023/2024 financial year, ThinkUKnow delivered 2,218 presentations about online child sexual exploitation to 202,905 students across Australia.
The program, run by the AFP, state and territory police and industry volunteers, also delivered 317 presentations to more than 21,500 parents, carers and teachers during the same period.
The AFP and its partners are committed to stopping child exploitation and abuse and the ACCCE is driving a collaborative national approach.
The ACCCE brings together specialist expertise and skills in a central hub, supporting investigations into online child sexual exploitation and developing prevention strategies focused on creating a safer online environment.
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse are urged to contact the ACCCE. If you know abuse is happening right now or a child is at risk, call police immediately on 000.
If you or someone you know is impacted by child sexual abuse and online child sexual exploitation, support services are available.
Research conducted by the ACCCE in 2020 revealed only about half of parents talked to their children about online safety. Advice and support for parents and carers about how they can help protect children online can be found at the ThinkUKnow website, an AFP-led education program designed to prevent online child sexual exploitation.
