The European Union (EU) shared its plans to criminalize AI-generated imagery and deepfakes that depict child sexual abuse.
The regulation is eyeing to update and improve the existing legislation and keep up with the use of technological advancements on criminal acts.
EU Proposes Update on Criminal Law on Child Sexual Abuse
In a press release, the Commission stated its proposal to update the criminal law rules that will heighten the lookout for child sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. In 2022, the EU recorded 1.5 million reports of abuse.
"These revised rules expand the definitions of offenses and introduce higher penalties and more specific requirements for prevention and assistance to victims," the Commission wrote.
The proposal is complementary to the 2022 proposal for regulation which involves obligations on internet companies to detect, remote, and remove child sexual abuse material on their platforms. However, the plan only split lawmakers and also picked up some suspicions over the Commission's links with child safety tech lobbyists.
EU's Updated Proposal for Child Sexual Abuse
The EU argued that the increased online presence of children and the fast-paced technological advancements bring new possibilities for abuse. For instance, pedophile manuals are constantly available on the internet.
According to the Commission, the definition of criminal offenses should include livestreaming of child sexual abuse, possession of materials, and creation of materials using AI and deepfakes.
"The new rules will also grant victims a right to financial compensation, to address the long-term harms that child sexual abuse causes," the proposal added.
The European Parliament and the Council are now under pressure to agree on the proposal. The new directive will be implemented 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
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