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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Holly Bancroft

Criminals using AI images to extort children, new NSPCC chief says in warning over looming crisis

NSPCC Chris Sherwood Childline Alexis Jay Sexual Abuse Snapchat
Chris Sherwood, the new head of children’s charity NSPCC, is pushing for further regulation of generative AI to protect children - (Liam James/The Independent)

A scammer used AI to paste a teenage boy’s face onto a naked body before extorting him for cash, the new head of the NSPCC has warned in a stark example of the new horrors facing children online.

In his first interview as CEO of the leading children’s charity, Chris Sherwood warned that the threat from generative AI could be worse for children than the impact of social media.

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