Deepnude and “Empathetic” Chatbots: Artificial Intelligence Is the New Frontier of Child Pornography
Artificial Intelligence is the New Frontier for Pedophiles
The new frontier of child pornography is artificial intelligence . This was denounced by Don Fortunato Di Noto, priest and founder of the Meter ETS Association , which has been fighting against child abuse for over thirty years. Two days ago, in Rome, the Association presented the first Italian dossier entirely dedicated to the impact of AI on online abuse : chatbots, deepfakes and virtual child pornography.
The Meter Dossier
With the report, Don Di Noto and the Association also offer their contribution to the work of Pope Leo XIV, who announced an encyclical on Artificial Intelligence . The risk – the dossier underlines – is the normalization of abuse: if the image is computer-generated, therefore the victims are not physical, then it is no longer a crime. And instead it is. The problem is how to identify it and prosecute it. Italian law, to date, equates virtual child pornography to real child pornography. But – Di Noto underlines – it lacks effectiveness: law enforcement struggles to intervene in time and the material remains in circulation. More incisive tools, updated regulations and constant training are needed : “A crucial step is the collaboration between governments and technology companies to develop an ethical AI capable of preventing and blocking the production of child pornography and deep-nude material”.
The threat, the Association denounces, is twofold: the speed with which these contents are produced, encrypted and shared, and the lack of adequate regulatory tools. The most used platforms for the dissemination of material are Signal (8 cases out of 10), Telegram, Viber, Whatsapp and Instagram. Often private channels, encrypted, difficult to monitor and block.
How does artificial intelligence work in the service of abuse?But how exactly does Artificial Intelligence work in the service of abuse? Through chatbots: programs capable of simulating complex conversations, with which the lure no longer has to expose themselves or make any effort. In fact, the lure is taken care of, from the first approach, by these programs, capable of recognizing key words, responding empathetically and preparing the ground for the exchange of intimate material. The next step is the manipulation of images: starting from photos taken in everyday contexts – sports, school, games – the AI generates deepnudes, fake but realistic images or videos in which the minor appears naked or sexualized. About 10% of the groups monitored online have asked for the production of deepfakes, while 20% generate them starting from innocent images.
Fake images, yes, but with real consequences. The data from the Global Observatory for the Fight against Pedophilia (OSMOCOP), established by Meter itself, are alarming: in the first six months of 2025 alone, almost 3,000 minors ended up in deepfake child pornography content. An urgent problem. With the Dossier, Mater wants to "denounce and raise a strong position from society, politics and the church". More than 60% of teenagers know about deepnudes , but more than half are unable to distinguish them from real content. The most significant and hopeful data, however, concerns the perception of risk: 9 out of 10 teenagers believe the spread of deepfake content is a concrete danger, and almost 7 out of 10 would be ready to report it.
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