On February 28, 2025, Europol issued a press release detailing a major international operation against AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). This announcement, part of Operation Cumberland, marked the first large-scale crackdown on offenders using artificial intelligence to produce and distribute explicit content featuring minors.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in their October 2023 report uncovered over 20,000 AI-generated images shared on a dark web forum within a single month, with more than 3,000 depicting criminal acts of child sexual abuse. By July 2024, the situation had worsened, as investigators discovered the first realistic deepfake videos depicting child sexual abuse. These synthetic videos use AI to superimpose the faces of real victims onto explicit content, exacerbating the harm inflicted on children.

The report also revealed an increase in CSAM—with over 3,500 new criminal images appearing on the same dark web forum—and noted a disturbing shift toward more severe abuse categories. Moreover, CSAM is no longer confined to hidden corners of the internet; researchers have observed a noticeable increase on the clear web, including commercial sites. Imagine opening Facebook or Instagram one day and seeing not just child abuse, but not be able to understand if it’s real or not.

One of the most troubling developments is the targeting of known victims and public figures. Offenders now employ fine-tuned AI models to generate explicit imagery featuring real child abuse victims and famous children, creating an urgent need for stronger legislation and enforcement measures.

As horrifying as this topic may be, we have to understand that AI can be easily abused in the wrong hands. Leaving grey areas in legislation only protects such disgusting practices. And the biggest problem is – anyone can do it, without any technical or operational skills. We’ve covered some hard topics before like EU’s AI Act: The implications on medical device sector, but this one was hard to write even for us.

Operation Cumberland: Massive Arrests

In response to this alarming trend, Europol announced Operation Cumberland – a coordinated global effort to dismantle networks involved in AI-generated child exploitation. Led by Danish authorities with support from Europol and the Joint Cybercrime Action Taskforce (J-CAT), this investigation resulted in 25 arrests across 19 countries and the identification of 273 additional suspects.

Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol, mentioned:
“These artificially generated images are so easily created that they can be produced by individuals with criminal intent, even without substantial technical knowledge.”

The operation began in November 2024, following the arrest of a Danish national who operated a platform distributing CSAM. This site allowed users worldwide to access illicit content for a nominal online fee, illustrating the ease with which such materials can be produced and monetized.

Europol’s Crackdown   

On February 26, 2025, authorities conducted simultaneous raids in 19 countries, leading to 33 house searches and multiple arrests. The investigation remains active, with more arrests expected as digital forensic teams analyse seized devices.

Countries involved in the operation include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

“As the volume increases, it becomes progressively more challenging for investigators to identify offenders or victims,” De Bolle stated.

Legal and Ethical Challenges

Unlike traditional child pornography or exploitation, content does not involve the direct abuse of real children, creating legal gray areas. While some jurisdictions have begun implementing laws to criminalize the production and distribution of synthetic CSAM, most countries lack specific legislation to address the issue.

Europol stressed this gap, stating:
“There is currently a lack of national legislation addressing AI-generated child sexual abuse material.” In response, the European Union is updating its regulations to classify CSAM as an explicit crime.

Technological advancements are accelerating—but can our laws and law enforcement keep up?

EU Cracks Down on AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Material
Accessibility of AI tools

Law enforcement agencies are aware that CSAM is a growing challenge. Europol noted, as concerning it may be:
“The ease of AI tools to produce material quickly is becoming a massive headache for law enforcement.”

The increasing accessibility of AI tools has lowered the barrier for offenders to create highly realistic CSAM. This surge in synthetic content complicates law enforcement efforts, as traditional CSAM detection tools rely on known victim databases. AI-generated imagery does not match existing databases, making it harder to track and remove.

To counter this, Europol and cybersecurity experts are developing advanced detection systems that analyze AI-generated patterns to distinguish synthetic CSAM from real imagery. However, these efforts require substantial investment and international cooperation.

Public Awareness and Preventive Measures

Beyond law enforcement actions, Europol is launching an online campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of CSAM. The initiative aims to educate the public about the legal, ethical, and societal impact of AI-generated abuse imagery and encourage reporting.

One of Europol’s key efforts includes the “Stop Child Abuse – Trace An Object” campaign, which invites the public to help law enforcement identify objects in CSAM materials. Since its launch in 2017, the initiative has resulted in approximately 28,000 tips, leading to the rescue of 30 children and the arrest of six offenders.

The Path Forward

Operation Cumberland should be a call to other countries of the urgency of the crisis and the potential for decisive action when nations cooperate.

To effectively combat the rise of CSAM, a multifaceted approach is essential. Governments must strengthen legislation by explicitly criminalizing CSAM and closing legal loopholes that allow offenders to exploit technological grey areas. At the same time, AI detection tools must be enhanced, equipping moderation systems with the ability to identify and flag synthetic abuse material before it spreads. Global collaboration between law enforcement agencies is necessary to share intelligence and forensic data, for missions of dismantling exploitation networks.

Finally, AI developers and companies must be held accountable for failing to or not implementing robust safeguards to prevent their technologies from being misused for harmful purposes.

When have your heard in the news about AI child abuse ring getting taken down? Maybe in a sci-fi TV show, but this is the new reality we have to face. As AI technology continues to evolve, so must global strategies to protect children from exploitation – and keep the pace with it.

For full information, visit Europol’s official press release.