Police warn of rising threat from AI‑generated child sexual abuse material

Sri Lanka Police has issued a strong warning about the growing dangers posed by AI‑generated Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), stressing that technological advances are creating new risks for children online.

According to the Police, traditionally, CSAM involved real photographs or videos of children who had been sexually abused.

However, police noted that with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, offenders can now manipulate ordinary images of children to produce highly realistic, sexually explicit or abusive content.

This, they said, represents a serious threat to children’s privacy, dignity, emotional well‑being, and mental health.

Police advised parents and caregivers to be alert to signs that a child may be under threat or manipulation online, including:

The Police state that protecting children in the digital age begins with awareness, adding that as technology evolves, parents and caregivers must remain vigilant, informed, and proactive in creating safer online environments.