Digital Child Abuse: The Rising Threat of AI Exploitation- Explained Pointwise

One of the most alarming threats is the use of AI to generate, possess, and disseminate child sexual abuse material (CSAM).The International AI Safety Report 2025, released by the British government’s Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology in collaboration with the AI Security Institute, highlights the risks posed by AI-generated CSAM.

What is Digital Child Abuse & Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM)?

Digital child abuse encompasses various online threats, including cyberbullying, grooming, trafficking, and the proliferation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). AI-generated CSAM, where AI tools create explicit images of children who do not exist, poses unprecedented challenges.

CSAM- Defined as any material depicting sexual exploitation of minors. AI-generated CSAM blurs lines—no real child is harmed, but it fuels demand for real abuse.

How much sensitive is the situation?

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and various global agencies, including WeProtect Global Alliance (2023 report) and Cyber Tipline 2022, highlight the alarming rise in CSAM cases globally and in India.

• Cyber Tipline 2022 statistics: Of the 32 million reports received on CSAM, 5.6 million originated from perpetrators based in India.
• WeProtect Global Alliance 2023: Reports an 87% increase in online child exploitation cases since 2019.
• The International AI Safety Report 2025 (AI Security Institute, U.K.) flags this as an imminent risk, necessitating legislative reforms. In India, cybercrimes against children increased substantially (NCRB 2022), highlighting the urgency of addressing this menace.

Understanding Digital Child Abuse

Platforms Enabling Child Exploitation:

• Social Media (Instagram, Snapchat, Discord, TikTok, X)
• Gaming Platforms (Metaverse, Grand Theft Auto, Roblox)
• Messaging Apps with End-to-End Encryption (WhatsApp, Telegram)
• Dark Web and Illicit Online Marketplaces

Impact of Trauma

Why Curbing AI-Based Exploitation is Essential?

1. Protecting Children’s Rights: “CSAM is a grave violation of a child’s Article 21 (Right to Life & Dignity) and POCSO Act’s child protection mandate.

2. Mental and Emotional Well-being: Exposure to such content causes psychological harm. According to UNICEF 2023 report, exposure to CSAM leads to long-term trauma, depression, and behavioral issues in children. As per Interpol Data (2024), AI-generated CSAM is used to groom real victims, escalating abuse cases.

3. Prevention of Secondary Victimization: AI-generated CSAM perpetuates abuse without an actual victim, yet it normalizes harmful behavior.

4. Upholding National Security and Law & Order: The Internet Watch Foundation (2024) reported CSAM proliferation on the open web, posing challenges to cybersecurity.

5. Global Commitments: India’s adherence to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) mandates proactive measures.

6. Global Precedents: UK’s 2025 Law: First to criminalize AI tools generating CSAM, shifting from “act-centric” to “tool-centric” approach. EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA): Mandates proactive removal of CSAM by tech platforms.

What are the government Initiatives to Combat Digital Child Abuse?

1. Legal Frameworks

• Section 67B, IT Act 2000: Punishes transmission of CSAM.
• POCSO Act, 2012 (Sections 13, 14, 15): Prohibits child pornography.
• Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 294, 295: Criminalizes obscene material sales and distribution to children.
• Digital India Act 2023 (Proposed): Aims to regulate AI-generated CSAM and hold tech companies accountable.

2. Institutional Measures

• India, with over 700 million internet users, faces escalating cybercrimes against children.  NCRP Portal (Cyber Crime Prevention against Women and Children – CCPWC) – Reported 1.94 lakh child pornography cases (April 2024).
• NCRB-NCMEC Partnership (USA, 2019): Shared 69.05 lakh cyber tip-line reports (March 2024).
• NHRC Guidelines 2024: Recommends expanding CSAM definitions and enhancing regulatory mechanisms.

3. Awareness and Capacity Building

• Interpol’s Crimes Against Children Initiative – India’s collaboration to track online exploitation.
• Cyber Swachhta Kendra – Government initiative for cyber hygiene.

What are the challenges in Combating AI-Driven CSAM?

1. Legal and Legislative Gaps: Indian laws focus on ‘who’ has done ‘what’, lacking focus on the ‘tools/medium’ (AI-generated CSAM). Enforcement agencies struggle to prosecute perpetrators using encrypted platforms.

2. Enforcement Issues: Such as delayed investigations, only 30% of NCRB-reported cases see convictions. As per Interpol dark web & encryption cause 70% of CSAM is shared via encrypted platforms.

3. Jurisdictional Challenges: CSAM hosted on foreign servers complicates legal action.

4. Lack of Accountability from Tech Companies: Congressional hearings (February 2025) revealed Big Tech’s failure to curb online child exploitation. Platforms like Meta, X, TikTok, and Snapchat profit from engagement metrics rather than child safety.

5. Technological Advancements and AI Exploitation: AI-driven deepfakes and child-targeted content recommendation algorithms pose new risks. Metaverse and VR platforms enable more immersive and harmful child exploitation methods. Dark Web and Encrypted Platforms: Telegram, Tor, and end-to-end encrypted apps enable anonymous dissemination.

6. Inadequate Public Awareness and Digital Literacy: Schools and parents lack cyber safety education. Children unknowingly share sensitive data online, fueling predatory activities.

What should be the Way Forward?

 1. Legal and Policy Reforms

• Amend the POCSO Act to replace ‘child pornography’ with “CSAM” (NHRC Advisory, 2023).
• Define “sexually explicit content” in Section 67B of IT Act to enable real-time blocking.
• Expand ‘intermediary’ definition in IT Act to include VPNs, Virtual Private Servers (VPS), and Cloud Services.
• Adopt the UN Draft Convention on Countering ICT for Criminal Purposes.
• Integrate provisions of the U.K. model law criminalizing AI tools for CSAM into the Digital India Act.

2. Holding Tech Companies Accountable: Implement ‘safety by design’ models in social media and gaming platforms. Enforce strict content moderation policies and AI-based CSAM detection mechanisms. Adopt global best practices* from the UK’s upcoming AI-Child Abuse Law.

3. AI-Powered Monitoring & Law Enforcement Capacity Building: Develop a National AI-Driven CSAM Detection Unit. Equip Interpol-assisted cyber forensic labs in major cities. Collaborate with social media giants to enhance automated CSAM detection.

4. Enhancing Public Awareness and Digital Literacy: Launch school-level digital safety programs integrated into civic education. Introduce a National AI Ethics and Child Safety Policy.

5. Global Collaboration and Cross-Border Data Sharing: Strengthen India’s engagement with Interpol’s Crimes Against Children Initiative. Establish a South Asian Cybercrime Cooperation Framework for intelligence sharing.

6. International Collaboration and Policy Reforms: Advocate for the UN Draft Convention on Cyber Crimes to criminalize AI-based child exploitation. Adopt best practices from UNICEF’s Child-Centric AI Framework.

Conclusion

The rise of AI-generated CSAM presents a new-age digital crime that requires immediate legislative action, AI-driven enforcement, and public awareness. India, with its growing digital population (900 million users), must proactively address this crisis by integrating technological advancements, global best practices, and legal reforms. As “digital child abuse” evolves, so must our strategies to safeguard children’s rights, uphold national security, and build a safer digital ecosystem for the future.