EU adopts rules to criminalise AI‑generated child sexual abuse material

A new report by the World Childhood Foundation and ChildX warns that artificial intelligence is already being used to create and spread child sexual abuse material, while legal and platform safeguards lag behind. The study, focused on Sweden, calls for modernised, technology‑neutral legislation, investment in AI detection tools, and stronger platform responsibilities to protect children.

At the same time, EU officials announced an agreement to tighten criminal law across the bloc. Designers of AI systems that generate child sexual abuse content, as well as those who possess or distribute such material, could face up to two years in prison. The reform also criminalises the exchange of paedophile “handbooks”, grooming for abuse, and paying to view live‑streamed abuse. Statutes of limitations would be extended, starting only when victims turn 18 and ranging from 15 to 32 years depending on the offence. The measures aim to give law‑enforcement and courts new tools to combat technology‑enabled abuse, reflecting the EU’s estimate that one in five children experiences sexual exploitation.