The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) and more than 65 child rights organisations are urgently calling on EU leaders to get vital child sexual abuse legislation ‘back on track’ to making the internet a safer place for children, following a vote by the European Parliament votes that dramatically limits the scope of the regulation.
The Internet Watch Foundation has heralded a “pivotal moment” in online safety as new laws to help make the internet safer for children are adopted in the UK.
Dan explains the vital role the proposal could have in preventing the widespread sexual abuse, rape, and sexual torture of child victims online.
13 organisations launch campaign to stop the spread of child sexual abuse material online
IWF used to receive some funding from the European Union’s EU Safer Internet Programme. This is now provided by Nominet.
AI-generated child sexual abuse videos have surged 400% in 2025, with experts warning of increasingly realistic, extreme content and the urgent need for regulation to prevent full-length synthetic abuse films.
The European Parliament is taking a decisive stand against the rise of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (AI-CSAM), co-hosting a high-level briefing with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) to address this urgent threat. With a 380% increase in AI-CSAM reports in 2024, the Parliament is pushing for robust legal reforms through the proposed Child Sexual Abuse Directive. Key priorities include criminalising all forms of AI-generated CSAM, removing legal loopholes such as the “personal use” exemption, and enhancing cross-border enforcement. The IWF and the European Child Sexual Abuse Legislation Advocacy Group (ECLAG) urge the Council of the EU to align with Parliament’s strong stance to protect children and support survivors. This article highlights the scale of the threat, the evolving technology behind synthetic abuse imagery, and the critical need for updated EU legislation.
New data reveals AI child sexual abuse continues to spread online as criminals create more realistic, and more extreme, imagery.