UNITED NATIONS, Oct 14 (IPS) – On October 11, the United Nations (UN) and its affiliated organizations hosted a conference to discuss the increasingly dangerous and exploitative environment plaguing the internet and what can be done to protect children against exposure to it. . Speakers at this conference delved into the evolving technologies that threaten children, such as artificial intelligence (AI), which often enables sexual abuse, exploitation and human trafficking. In a world where digitalization and innovation are central, it is crucial to keep the internet a safe place for the most vulnerable population group, namely children.
“The EU (European Union) believes that access to digital technology is crucial for children to participate in the digital decade and achieve online citizenship,” said Ambassador Hedda Samson, Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU.
Over the past twenty years, the Internet has been a fundamental tool for children’s education and development. It has helped build crucial life skills and promoted career initiatives. According to Mama Fatima Singhateh, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the sale, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, connectivity drives nearly 80 percent of people between the ages of 15 and 24 worldwide.
However, the digital age has also led to an increase in violent or sexually explicit content, which has been linked to negative developmental effects on young brains. Samson added: “Over the past twenty years, the amount of online material about child sexual abuse has increased dramatically and as we navigate the global digital transition, we need to step up our game to ensure that children and young people are protected and be able to face the challenges of the digital sphere”.
The rapid development of AI technology, as well as its increasing use over the past four years, is a major concern for humanitarian organizations and child rights activists. Deepfake technology has made it possible for online predators to create and distribute realistic child sexual abuse material on a large scale. Additionally, many AI tools are unregulated, exposing children to potentially harmful content.
“While AI offers enormous potential to improve child protection, it also poses significant risks if used for illegal purposes. In 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received more than 4,700 reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, and within nine months For months, a single dark web forum sold the upload of more than 3,500 new AI-generated images of sexual abuse of children. This alarming trend underlines the urgent need for robust global frameworks to regulate the use of AI,” said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior. ).
During the conference, Irakli Beridze, Head of the Center for Artificial Intelligence & Robotics at the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), discussed the new partnership between the UAE and the UN entitled “AI For Safer Children Global Hub” , which AI monitors programs in an effort to increase transparency, accountability and privacy, enabling safe and responsible use.
This initiative uses more than 90 AI tools to combat sexual abuse and support law enforcement, including image and text analysis, object recognition, voice detection and facial mapping. In May 2023, specialized training began to prepare more than 2,250 officers from more than 28 countries to investigate child rights violations online.
Some social media platforms have already started initiatives to protect underage users from exposure to graphic content. On September 17, Instagram introduced their “teen accounts,” which are private accounts with more limited features and more parental controls. Young users, including those who try to lie about their age, are placed in private accounts where they can only interact with users they follow. In addition, Instagram has taken steps to restrict sexually offensive content, as well as content that promotes violence, self-harm and disordered eating.
In April 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) launched Know2Protect, Together We Can Stop Online Child Exploitation, a public awareness campaign that partners with technology companies and youth organizations to increase national education about safe internet practices and signs of child exploitation. Know2Protect’s primary education program, Project iGuardian, has provided more than 82,000 children, parents and educators with 950 presentations on internet safety and protective measures, resulting in more than 41 exposés of sexual exploitation by victims and more than 72 criminal investigations into offenders.
It is crucial to raise awareness among children and guardians, especially considering that AI is evolving daily in its versatility and effectiveness. This issue requires an adaptive conversation that is accessible to children around the world, especially vulnerable populations such as girls, children in developing countries, and LGBTQ children.
“We must continue to talk about sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital space. Especially in marginalized communities, such as the South and the least developed countries. I would like to see more harmonized laws so that perpetrators do not look for gaps or loopholes in the respective legislation. laws to abuse (children),” said Fatima Singhateh.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
