Safeguarding under-fives from AI image manipulation risks, experts urge

Child protection experts are calling for urgent action to ensure that safeguarding campaigns targeting AI-driven image manipulation explicitly reach families of under-fives. As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly accessible, the risk of photographs of young children being altered and exploited has grown significantly, yet awareness campaigns may inadvertently focus on older age groups whilst missing the specific vulnerabilities of the early years demographic. The warning highlights a critical gap in current digital safeguarding strategies. Families of babies, toddlers and preschool children may not recognise that images shared online—whether through social media, parenting forums, or messaging apps—could be harvested and manipulated using AI technologies. Local safeguarding partnerships and early years providers are being urged to develop age-appropriate guidance that recognises how parents of young children engage with digital platforms differently than those of school-age youngsters. For lead members and cabinet colleagues, this represents both a safeguarding imperative and an early intervention opportunity. Integrating messages about AI image risks into existing early years services—through health visiting, children's centres, and family hubs—could prevent harm before it occurs. The call underscores the need for cross-sector collaboration between safeguarding teams, early years practitioners, and digital safety experts to ensure that the youngest and most vulnerable children are not left exposed to evolving online threats.