AI nudification app ban and on-device protections for children welcomed following IWF campaign

AI ‘nudification’ apps are to be banned following an IWF campaign as new data reveals nearly one in five reports of nude or sexual imagery of young people involves some form of faked or digitally altered imagery. 

New data released today (Thursday, December 18) shows 19% of confirmed reports of nude or sexual imagery of children and young people made to the UK’s Report Remove helpline involved imagery which has been digitally altered or manipulated, including with AI or nudification apps. 

Report Remove, which is run by the Internet Watch Foundation and Childline, is a first of its kind service which allows children and young people in the UK to confidentially self-report nude or sexual imagery of themselves which has been, or it at risk of being, shared online.  

Now, the UK Government is announcing plans to outlaw AI apps which digitally remove clothing or ‘nudify’ subjects of photographs – apps which have been abused to create nude imagery of children.  

The move comes after months of campaigning by the IWF and others who have argued the technology makes it too easy to create fake nude or sexual imagery of real children. 

Alongside this, the Government has announced in plans to encourage tech firms to bring in on-device protections for children, saying their ambition is to make it impossible to send, receive, or share nude or sexual imagery with children’s devices.  

The plans are being brought in under the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy. Labour’s 2024 manifesto pledged to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.  

IWF data shows that, in 2024, 98% of confirmed images and videos of AI generated child sexual abuse where sex was recorded involved girls.

Kerry Smith, Chief Executive of the IWF, said: “At a time where children are facing unprecedented new harms and challenges online, we are pleased to see the commitment to bringing in on-device protections. 

“Safety mechanisms to protect children from unsolicited nude imagery, and from being coerced into sending sexually explicit material is an important step – we must now see these measures made mandatory and applied across the board.  

“We are also glad to see concrete steps to ban these so-called nudification apps which have no reason to exist as a product. This is not some abstract threat. Apps like this put real children at even greater risk of harm, and we see the imagery produced being harvested in some of the darkest corners of the internet. 

"It is crucial any interventions are rolled out in consultation with child development experts to make sure children and victims stay at the heart of the response, and we look forward to playing our part in making these measures a success."  

• Today’s data shows that, between January 1 and September 30, 19% of confirmed reporters to the UK’s Report Remove helpline recorded that some or all of their imagery had been manipulated in some way, this could include the use of AI, nudifying apps or photo editing software.  
• Of the 846 reports confirmed to contain child sexual abuse imagery sent to Report Remove in this period, 161 (or 19%) were reported to involve some kind of manipulation. 

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips said: “We must stop these images being created and shared used to harm young people’s lives while tackling the root causes of negative influences on young men in their schools, homes and online. That’s why we will join forces with tech companies to stop to predators online and prevent the next generation from being exploited by sexual extortion and abuse. 

“‘Nudification’ apps are not used for harmless pranks. They devastate young people’s lives, and we will ensure those who create or supply them face real consequences. Every child deserves to grow up safe, and we will do whatever it takes to make that a reality.” 

Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall said: "Women and girls deserve to be safe online as well as offline. We will not stand by while technology is weaponised to abuse, humiliate and exploit them through the creation of non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes.

"I am introducing a new offence to ban nudification tools, so that those who profit from them or enable their use, will feel the full force of the law – so that together we end this abuse of women and girls.

"Our priority is protecting victims and ensuring the internet is a safer place for women and girls."