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Norton Study Finds AI-Generated Content Poses Growing Online Risks for Children
A Norton Insights Report titled “Connected Kids” shows that most parents are uneasy about new AI‑driven threats online. While 85% of parents of minors feel comfortable discussing internet risks, 32% lack confidence that their children can tell AI‑generated content from real material. Over half (58%) have already restricted apps, monitored activity or specifically warned children about AI, yet two‑thirds (≈67%) worry AI could be used to create fake images or conversations involving their child. The report also notes that 16% of cyber‑bullying incidents involved AI‑generated accounts and 29% involved impersonation.
In New Zealand, enforcement agencies recorded more than 20,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation in 2025, a 29% rise from the previous year, linked to U.S. NCMEC data. Additionally, Gen research finds that over 3% of AI‑generated videos are used for scams. Experts such as Leyla Bilge, Global Head of Scam Research at Norton, and Mark Gorrie, VP APAC at Norton, stress the need for parents to update "the talk" about digital safety.
Entities
Dayna Guido · Leyla Bilge · Mark Gorrie · National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) · Norton (cybersecurity company)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 85% of parents of children under 18 feel comfortable talking to their children about online risks. www.technews24h.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 29% of parents say the cyberbullying perpetrator used a fake profile or impersonated another person. www.technews24h.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Over 3% of all AI‑generated videos are used for scams, according to Gen research. www.technews24h.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Approximately 67% of parents worry AI could be used to create fake images or conversations involving their child. www.technews24h.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 16% of parents whose child experienced cyberbullying say the perpetrator was an AI‑generated account or bot. www.technews24h.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] 32% of parents are not confident their child can distinguish AI-generated content from real content. www.technews24h.com · livenews.co.nz
- [○ 1 SOURCE] 58% of parents have taken steps to reduce AI‑related risks by restricting apps, monitoring activity, or talking to their children about AI. www.technews24h.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] In 2025, New Zealand enforcement agencies received more than 20,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation linked to New Zealand from the U.S. National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children, a livenews.co.nz