AI can turn an ordinary photo into a fabricated nude or sexualised image of a child, or generate exploitative imagery from scratch. Fabricated does not mean harmless: a child whose image or identity is used can be bullied, coerced, emotionally harmed or victimised again when the material spreads. If your child is targeted, listen without blame, report suspected exploitation and ask the platform to remove the content where possible.
How AI-generated images can affect children
Real photos can be altered
Generative AI can manipulate an existing image—for example, to make a real child appear nude or in a sexualised situation. It can also generate synthetic exploitative imagery. NCMEC describes misuse that includes “nudify” images, as well as AI-related sextortion, online enticement and material created by peers and circulated at school.
A fabricated image can still cause real harm
The fact that an image is not an accurate photograph does not undo the impact on the child whose identity or likeness is used. NCMEC identifies harassment, bullying, emotional harm, coercion and revictimization as risks. UNICEF put it plainly in its 4 February 2026 statement: “When a child’s image or identity is used, that child is directly victimised.” UNICEF also describes sexualised images of children generated or manipulated using AI as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Applicable legal definitions can differ by country.
What to do if your child is targeted
- Listen and reassure. Stay calm, believe the child and make clear they are not to blame. NCMEC advises adults to support children who disclose exploitation and to keep the door open for future conversations.
- Record basic details. Note where the image appeared, the account or service involved, and when you found it. Avoid forwarding or reposting the image; preserve only the information needed to make a report.
- Report the content to the platform. Use the service’s reporting process and ask it to remove the image. A platform can act on content hosted on its own service, but one report or removal does not ensure every copy elsewhere is gone.
- Report suspected exploitation to the appropriate authorities. In the United States, NCMEC directs reports to its CyberTipline. It processes reports and makes them available to the appropriate law enforcement agency. If there is an immediate local safety concern, contact local police or child-protection authorities. Outside the U.S., use the relevant national reporting service and local authorities; services and laws vary by location.
- Consider Take It Down for an explicit image. NCMEC’s U.S.-based Take It Down service lets a person anonymously request removal of a real or AI-created explicit image from participating platforms. It is not a universal takedown system and cannot promise removal from every service or every copy.
NCMEC says that using generative AI to create child sexual abuse imagery or nude or exploitative images of a child “should always be reported and taken seriously.”
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Talking with children and reducing exposure
Make it easy to ask for help
Have recurring, age-appropriate conversations about online safety, image manipulation and pressure to share images. Tell children they can come to a trusted adult if someone threatens them, asks for pictures or uses an image without permission. A supportive response matters: blame can make it harder for a child to disclose what is happening.
Review who can see images
Help children review privacy settings and limit access to photos that could be misused. This can reduce exposure, but it cannot guarantee that an image will not be copied, altered or shared. In gaming and other online communities, discuss where profile pictures and shared images can be viewed, and how to report unwanted content or contact.
If the incident involves school peers
Involve appropriate school staff when an image is being created or circulated among students. NCMEC recommends that schools have conduct codes, incident-response plans and staff training for AI-related exploitation or abuse.
Choosing AI image tools for family use
UNICEF warns that safeguards are uneven. The sources do not establish that any particular image-generation service is safe for children’s photos, so popularity or inclusion in another platform is not proof of protection. Before a child uses a tool—or an adult uploads a child’s image—check:
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- Age limits and controls on children’s access.
- Whether uploaded photos are retained or used to improve models.
- Safeguards against sexualised depictions of children and misuse of image-to-image features.
- How to report content and appeal a decision.
- Where the service is available and which privacy terms apply in your location.
What the reported figures do—and do not—show
NCMEC’s CyberTipline figures describe reports or content handled in its system, not the total number of affected children, incidents or images worldwide. The measures below have different units and may overlap, so they should not be added together or read as a population prevalence rate.
| Measure | NCMEC figure and period | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| CyberTipline reports with a generative AI (GAI) nexus | 4,700 in 2023; 67,000 in 2024; more than 400,000 in 2025 | Reports in NCMEC’s system. NCMEC notes that not every report with an AI nexus involves creating or sharing GAI CSAM. |
| Reports involving possession, generation or attempted generation of GAI CSAM | More than 182,000 in 2025 | A report count for the specified activity, not a count of unique offenders or children. |
| Images and videos categorized as AI-generated in CyberTipline reports | More than 158,000 from January 2023 through December 2025 | Content categorized in reports, not a count of distinct incidents or victims. |
| Direct victims of GAI CSAM identified | More than 275 across 2024 and 2025 | NCMEC’s identified-victim count for that reporting period. |
UNICEF’s February 2026 statement also gives a modeled estimate of at least 1.2 million children across 11 countries whose images were manipulated into sexually explicit deepfakes in the past year. UNICEF says the estimate draws on nationally representative surveys of internet-using 12–17-year-olds and their caregivers, and is modeled using population and estimated internet-use data. It is not directly comparable to NCMEC’s CyberTipline counts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Reporting services and laws depend on location
NCMEC’s CyberTipline and Take It Down are U.S.-based resources. Take It Down works with participating platforms; the CyberTipline receives suspected-exploitation reports and refers them to appropriate law enforcement after processing. Platforms handle content on their own services, while local police or child-protection authorities address local safety and legal concerns. UNICEF’s calls for legal definitions and criminalisation are policy recommendations, not evidence that every country has the same laws. For a specific legal question, check with competent local authorities.
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