Dozens arrested in repression on the sexual abuse of children generated by AI

CNN
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Twenty-five people were arrested in a global operation for sexual abuse materials on the children generated by AI, said Europol, the Agency for the Law of the European Union, in a statement Friday.

The Cumberland operation, which was led by the Danish law enforcement, is one of the first cases in the world that involves this type of children’s abuse materials, which Europol said “exceptionally provocative for investigators.”

The operation included 19 countries, including a number of European nations, as well as Australia and New Zealand, according to the statement.

The case began when a Danish man was arrested in November 2024, said Europol. The man would have produced sexual abuse materials generated by children, then distributed it on an online platform he drove. Users would pay to access the platform and “follow the abused children,” Europol said.

About 273 suspects were identified, with several expected arrests to take place in the following weeks, the agency said.

Those already arrested were doing “part of a criminal group” whose members distributed completely generated images with minors, said.

“These artificially generated images are so easily created that they can be produced by people with criminal intention, even without substantial technical knowledge,” said Catherine de Bolle, the executive director of Europol, in the statement.

“This contributes to the growing prevalence of the sexual abuse material on children and as the volume increases, it becomes more and more difficult for investigators to identify criminals or victims,” ​​she added.

Even if the content investigated in the Cumberland operation was “fully artificial”, without “any real victim”, the sexual abuse of children generated by “continues to contribute to the objectification and sexualization of children”, the statement states.

The law enforcement agency will soon launch an online campaign that will highlight “the consequences of use for illegal purposes,” he added.