Citation

Krishna S, Dubrosa F, Milanaik R. Pediatrics 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Academy of Pediatrics)

DOI

10.1542/peds.2023-063954

PMID

38204377

Abstract

The widespread availability of artificial intelligence (AI) has not only introduced extensive benefits to society, but also new dangers. One disturbing consequence of AI usage is the production and dissemination of virtual child sexual abuse material (VCSAM), which poses imminent risks to pediatric and adolescent populations. This discussion aims to shed light on the dangers and implications of VCSAM for pediatric populations, along with the cautionary measures needed to combat them.

VCSAM, also known as AI-driven CSAM or "deepfakes," is defined through 2 main subcategories: AI-generated CSAM refers to entirely new sexual images of fictional children, whereas AI-manipulated CSAM alters images and videos of real children into sexually explicit content. In 2022, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline received ∼32 million suspected reports of online CSAM alone.1 Moreover, studies have reported significant upticks in the amount of circulating VCSAM and researchers foresee cases rising dramatically in...

Language: en