The UK is intensifying efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse, unveiling new measures as part of its Plan for Change. The strategy focuses on disrupting global criminal networks that profit from abuse, particularly those exploiting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Authorities have identified several methods offenders are using to profit from online abuse, including financial extortion, live streaming, selling access to child sexual abuse content, and hacking accounts. Working alongside partners in the US, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the UK aims to develop advanced tools to prevent and disrupt these crimes.
Plans include harnessing AI to identify AI-generated child sexual abuse material and expanding the use of the UK’s child abuse image database to categorise imagery without exposing law enforcement officers to harmful content.
Ministers call for global action
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood urged international partners to use their unique capabilities to “go further” in preventing and disrupting abuse. She stressed the need for a coordinated global response that integrates technology, financial oversight, and law enforcement.
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said:
“Child sexual abuse is a horrific abuse of power that causes devastating harm. 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.”
She added that technology companies and the financial sector must step up to help detect and disrupt abuse alongside governments.
Five Eyes partners strengthen collaboration
The UK and its Five Eyes allies have cooperated for more than a decade to fight child sexual exploitation. With abuse increasingly crossing borders, the focus is now on scaling up international efforts to dismantle networks and support survivors.
At the summit, ministers heard testimonies from survivors and advocates calling for urgent cross-sector action. The Internet Watch Foundation revealed that in 2024, child sexual abuse imagery was detected every 108 seconds, while AI-generated abuse content rose by 380% in just two years.
Phillips also met with tech firms that signed up to the voluntary principles launched in 2020 by the Five Countries to combat online child exploitation, urging them to accelerate their efforts.
