UK schools have been urged to remove identifiable photographs of pupils from their websites and social media accounts, as experts warn that criminals are using AI to manipulate such images into sexually explicit material for blackmail. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) reported that an unnamed secondary school was recently targeted by blackmailers who used photos from the school's online presence to create child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and demanded payment to prevent publication.
The IWF, which monitors CSAM, created digital fingerprints of the manipulated images and shared them with tech platforms to block uploads. Of the images involved, 150 were classified as CSAM under UK law. The National Crime Agency (NCA) and child safety experts have endorsed the recommendation to remove or avoid using identifiable pupil photos altogether.
Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, described the attempted blackmail as a “deeply worrying emerging threat” and stated that the government would update laws if necessary, having already announced a ban on possessing AI models designed to generate CSAM. “We will not hesitate to go further if necessary,” she said.
The Early Warning Working Group (EWWG), a UK advisory body on online harms, has issued guidance for schools, recommending they publish images that are harder to misuse, such as distant, blurred, or behind-the-back shots, and avoid using names alongside photos. Schools should also consider whether pupil images are needed at all and conduct regular audits of existing online photos.
If an incident occurs, the EWWG advises schools to contact police immediately, retain criminal images, and remove the original tampered photos. The Confederation of School Trusts, representing over four million pupils in England, said schools would “carefully consider” the guidance to balance celebration of achievements with safety.
