The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in children’s abuse and exploitation has been increasing at an alarming rate, the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) said on Thursday.
During a public briefing, CWC Executive Director Angelo Tapales warned that AI-generated child sexual abuse and exploitation materials have been rising in the global community.
“The AI generation tools we call whether it’s open source – available on the internet or the ones you buy – and also the so-called image editing software is used by bad people to create child sexual abuse and exploitation materials,” the official said.
“After that happens, it’s being traded or sold on the dark web.”
According to the description on the internet, an AI image generator uses artificial neural networks to create images from natural language input, producing authentic and realistic visuals.
Tapales described that with the help of AI, perpetrators could create photorealistic images of explicit and illegal materials of children.
In preparing for the possible use of AI-generated materials in thePhilippines, Tapales laid out that the A Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act would be ready in those cases. He reminded the public to always monitor their children for threats, either from outside or online.
“So, ang ginagawa po natin diyan, of course, batay rin po sa mga pakikipag-ugnayan natin sa ibang ahensiya at sa private sector, gusto po nating turuan ang mga parents po at saka ang mga bata sa paggamit ng internet na safe po talaga. Iyong online safety behaviors na tinatawag,” Tapales said.
(So, what we’re doing there, of course, based on our interactions with other agencies and the private sector, we want to teach parents and kids how to use the internet safely. Those online safety behaviors that we call.)