UK to target those profiting from child sexual abuse

The UK is stepping up efforts to protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse, part of the Plan for Change.

New plans will focus on disrupting networks that profit from these crimes, including those using AI and other emerging technologies.

Several unique routes have been identified which offenders are using to make money such as financial extortion, live streaming, selling access to content, and hacking accounts. The UK is working with the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand to develop new tools to stop them.

This could include working with partners to harness new technology to identify AI generated material and minimising law enforcement exposure to child sexual abuse material by using AI to categorise child sexual imagery through our world-leading child abuse image database.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urged partners to use their unique strengths and capabilities in their jurisdictions to go further to prevent and disrupt online abuse.

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said:

Child sexual abuse is a horrific abuse of power that causes devastating harm to lives.

The chance to profit from this suffering fuels these crimes. That's why we're taking action to stop those who try to make money from it.

As part of our Plan for Change, we're working closely with our international partners, but we also need tech companies and the financial sector to step up and help detect and disrupt abuse.

The UK and its Five Eyes partners have worked together for over a decade. They are now focused on scaling up global efforts to tackle the cross-border nature of these crimes and support survivors.

The Internet Watch Foundation reported that in 2024, they identified child sexual abuse imagery every 108 seconds. Reports of AI-generated abuse content rose by 380% in just 2 years.

At the summit, ministers heard directly from survivors and advocates. Their message was clear: every sector must do more - and act now.

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips also met with tech companies that signed the voluntary principles to counter online child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched by the Five Countries in 2020.