The United Kingdom (UK) has embarked on one of the first forays in the attempted unauthentic generation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) through pioneering use of artificial intelligence. Internationally, AI-generated images have sent shockwaves across nations with respect to the safety of children on the net, forcing governments to rethink their legal responses. This new British law is a defining step toward "criminalising the production, dissemination, and possession of AI-created CSAM," something other countries will also have to do. Within this context, the article would explore how the new law operates, its ramifications for international child protection initiatives, and whether India should take a similar approach.
The UK government in February 2025 indicated its plan to criminalise AI technology used to create CSAM. The move makes the UK the world's first country to address this particular abuse of AI. Under this legislation, the guilty face a five-year prison sentence.
The law is also applied to possessing "paedophile manuals," which has been expanded to cover AI-created CSAM. Website owners hosting or publishing such material may also be imprisoned for ten years.Under the Crime and Policing Bill that has been passed in the United Kingdom in 2025, police now have greater powers in conducting searches of any digital devices which, the police suspect, contain abusive AI-generated material.
The hastily advancing growth of AI development has tremendously increased the realistic generation of child sexual abuse material. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) literally has an almost five-fold increase in such material during 2024, with 245 reports verified versus 51 from 2023. This remarkable spike stresses further the need for serious legislative action to prevent the use of AI technology for child abuse.
The UK's law is a template for other countries with similar issues. With the internet being borderless, AI-created CSAM can travel easily across borders, and thus international collaboration is needed. Other countries, such as the United States, have also launched crackdowns on perpetrators who use AI to produce abusive content, highlighting the need for a collective global response.
With its huge digital user population, India is also at risk of AI-generated CSAM. Although the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, provides for child abuse offenses, it does not mention AI-generated content. Legal experts contend that India requires new legislation to effectively deal with AI-facilitated child exploitation.
A research on India's cyber legislation emphasises the need for AI-specific legal provisions since current frameworks might not entirely cover the intricacies of AI-generated CSAM. Implementing laws like the UK's could further fortify India's battle against digital child abuse and provide strong action against the perpetrators.
In spite of the clear need for AI-targeted legislation, their implementation poses challenges:
Technological Sophistication: AI-created content is sometimes indistinguishable from actual images, and it is hard to detect and prosecute.
Jurisdictional Issues: The global nature of the internet implies that AI-created CSAM can be produced in one jurisdiction and viewed elsewhere, necessitating international legal harmonisation.
Striking a Balance between Regulation and Innovation: While regulation is unavoidable, legislation should not suppress AI innovation in areas that are beneficial.
Technology firms have an imperative role to play in preventing AI-produced CSAM. In accordance with the UK's Online Safety Act, online safety duty holders need to remove illegal content proactively or get fined a maximum of 18 million Pounds or 10 percent of their worldwide turnover. India can implement such actions so that technology companies use strong AI detection software and content moderation measures.
Legislation will not sufficiently remove AI-created CSAM. Public campaigns and school programs are vital in teaching parents, teachers, and children internet security. Governments, NGOs, and online platforms need to work together to educate people on digital literacy and child protection strategies.
The UK's action against AI-produced CSAM is a major leap in the safety of children against digital exploitation. Nevertheless, dealing with this universal problem needs an integrated effort. Countries like India need to examine their legal infrastructure and implement AI-specialised laws to avoid child abuse in the era of digital technology. In an era of rapid technological changes, anticipatory legislation, technical intervention, and people's awareness are the most effective ways of securing the weakest section of society, our children.