European authorities made 25 arrests this week in an ongoing takedown of a massive child sexual abuse operation peddling AI-generated content on the web.
The criminal group of 273 known suspects creates and disseminates the images online in exchange for payment. “More arrests are expected in the coming weeks, as the operation is still ongoing,” Europol says.
The so-called Operation Cumberland, led by Danish law enforcement, searched 33 homes and seized 173 electronic devices. They arrested the main suspect in November 2024. He ran an online platform where he sold AI-generated content he produced to people around the world.
“These artificially generated images are so easily created that they can be produced by individuals with criminal intent, even without substantial technical knowledge,” says Catherine De Bolle, Europol’s Executive Director.
(Credit: Europol)
De Bolle says AI technology has contributed to an increase in child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and makes it “progressively more challenging for investigators to identify offenders or victims. She calls for law enforcement to develop new investigation methods and tools to address the growing threat.
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One reason Operation Cumberland is so noteworthy is that it was able to successfully take down a major operation despite these challenges. “Operation Cumberland has been one of the first cases involving AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM), making it exceptionally challenging for investigators, especially due to the lack of national legislation addressing these crimes,” Europol says.
(Credit: Europol)
The US is not one of the 19 nations that contributed to Operation Cumberland, but it is also struggling with AI-generated CSAM. Last year, the FBI issued a public service announcement to remind the public it is illegal. Yet enforcement seems incomplete; the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children says it received 4,700 reports concerning AI-generated CSAM last year. “Furthermore, users of the technology to create this material have used the argument that, ‘At least I didn’t hurt a real child’ and ‘It’s not actually a child,'” the center added.
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About Emily Forlini
Senior Reporter
