Sextortion and the Rise of AI

Reading Time: 3.7 mins

Published: January 21, 2025

There has been a significant rise in so-called ‘sextortion’ crimes against children and young people by criminals utilising AI technology to transpose innocent images into sexually explicit photographs and videos. These are then used to blackmail the innocent victim.

Don’t be fooled, this can happen to any child or young person, including those in your care.

What Is ‘Sextortion’?

So-called ‘sextortion’ is a form of online exploitation where perpetrators use intimate images or videos of a young person to blackmail them. They may demand additional images, money, or even coerce victims into recruiting others. While sextortion can happen to anyone, teenagers and young adults are particularly vulnerable.

Those carrying out these crimes will also seek out images of the victims with identifiable features such as their face, birth marks, tattoos or jewellery. They do this to heighten vulnerability, anxiety, engendering a feeling of powerlessness and self-blame.

This form of exploitation can present itself in various ways, but always has the same goal: to blackmail and instil fear within the victim for personal gain.

Common ‘Sextortion’ Tactics

The Use of AI Technology

There has been a worrying increase in the use of AI-generated indecent images of young people within ‘sextortion’ cases. Offenders obtain innocent images of a young person, often from their social media profiles, and superimpose it onto an explicit image or video, making it appear that they are engaging in a sexual act on camera.

Even if a young person has never shared a sexual image of themselves, they can still be a victim of ‘sextortion’ through the use of this technology and the threat and impact can be just as real. Remember, this technology is extremely advanced and can trick most people into thinking it is a real image or video.

Note: An AI-generated indecent image of anyone under 18 is still classed as a child abuse image, even if it isn’t real. You should never screenshot or share a sexualised photo or video of a child. Instead, protect yourself by reporting it immediately to the police and the Internet Watch Foundation.

Blackmail Facilitated Via Sexual Exploitation

So-called ‘sextortion’ often begins with a perpetrator initiating a seemingly innocent friendship or relationship with a young person online. They may connect through social media, dating apps, or gaming platforms. Over time, the perpetrator steers conversations toward sexual topics and manipulates the young person into sharing explicit photos or videos of themselves. Unlike ‘catfishing’, the perpetrator (or someone acting on their behalf) will engage in direct contact with their victim, including video or voice calls.

This is often encouraged by the perpetrator initiating the exchange by exposing themselves whilst engaging in sexual activity, or appearing to do so. This creates a false sense of security, in that the victim feels safe because the perpetrator has shared sexually explicit material of themselves first.

Catfishing

So-called ‘catfishing’ is when a person takes information and images from other people or generates photos using AI to create an online identity, tailored to mirror the interests of the victim.

Their aim is to deceive their target into believing they are in a real friendship. They do this to build trust and grow the relationship to the point when they can successfully encourage their victim to share sexually explicit images or videos. Once they have this digital collateral, they will use it to control and coerce the victim.

To find out more about catfishing and how to spot it, read our article.

What Is The Impact On Young People?

Feeling trapped in a ‘sextortion’ scam can feel overwhelming, inducing fear, panic and a range of other complex emotions including humiliation, stigma and shame. The perpetrator plays on such fears to discourage their victims from coming forward to seek help.

Sadly, in some cases, the psychological impact can lead to thoughts of self-harm or suicide. This is why early intervention, education and frequent open conversations are crucial in protecting children and young people in these situations.

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What Can You Do?

Join us on Wednesday 26th February for our ‘Sextortion’ webinar, where attendees will:

Understand what sextortion is and the different forms it can take, including the use of real and AI-generated images.
Identify those most at risk, such as children and young people.
Learn about the laws surrounding sextortion.
Recognise the emotional, social, and financial impact sextortion has on victims.
Apply your knowledge to identify potential cases of sextortion and provide effective support to children and young people.

Register for our Sextortion WEBINAR hereRegister for our Sextortion WEBINAR here