SwedenLivingWorld world_2_fill WorldBusiness BusinessSports sports-soccer SportsEntertainmentEntertain

Created images of naked children with AI - prosecuted

The man created images of naked children using an AI tool – now he is being prosecuted for minor child pornography offenses. The case is one of the first in Sweden where a court is trying exploitative material produced with AI.

» Published: December 25 2024

Created images of naked children with AI - prosecuted
Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT

The law is clear, according to prosecutor Sara Sundström, who has filed charges with the Uppsala District Court, as previously reported by UNT.

In the preparatory work on child pornography offenses, it is clear that it can also be punishable to possess images that do not depict a real child, says Sundström to TT.

However, for it to be illegal, the images must be realistic.

You have to make an assessment, and a reviewer at the police has done so. Then, they have concluded that it involves 16 realistic AI images with child pornographic material, she says.

The accused man has denied the crime and claimed that the purpose of creating the images, which were found on his mobile phone, was to obtain illustrations for a book.

"He wanted to have images that looked real for his book, NN also states that there were other images that were characters for his books in the phone," the man said in the interrogation, according to the preliminary investigation protocol.

Thomas Andersson, an investigator at the children's rights organization Ecpat Sweden, says that AI development has progressed rapidly and that the images are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from real photos.

He emphasizes that the material is not a "better" alternative to real images, but something that must be combated with force.

The images normalize assault material and sexual assaults against children.

Real assaults

Consumption of assault material can be what leads a person to take the step to commit real physical assaults, says Andersson.

And there is nothing to suggest that AI-generated assault material does not work in the same way as traditional assault material in that process.

Ecpat Sweden also sees how AI tools are used to violate real children. Among other things, they can be used to manipulate ordinary images of children into assault material.

There are also examples of perpetrators who use AI to create new images based on assault material of real children.

And it becomes a double violation for the victim, says Andersson.

AI cases are still rare in court, but will likely increase as the material becomes more common. Prosecutor Sara Sundström is only aware of one previous conviction in Sweden for AI-generated assault material.

In that case, a man who created images of children with an AI tool was convicted of attempted child pornography. The crime was classified as attempted because the images had one or more flaws that made them not appear realistic.

Anyone who possesses, distributes, or spreads images that "depict children in pornographic images" can be convicted of child pornography.

For minor offenses, the penalty is fines or imprisonment for up to six months, for normal-grade offenses, the penalty is imprisonment for up to two years. If the crime is considered gross, the penalty is at least one year's imprisonment and up to six years.

Source: The Penal Code

Tags

TTT
By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

More news

One Injured in Suspected Shooting

One Injured in Suspected Shooting

Woman extradited for double murder in Piteå

Woman extradited for double murder in Piteå

One dead after accident – got stone wall over him

One dead after accident – got stone wall over him

Sexual Offenses Against Children – Teacher Stripped of Certification

Sexual Offenses Against Children – Teacher Stripped of Certification

Sharp Hand Grenade in Bålsta Believed to Have Lain for a Long Time

Sharp Hand Grenade in Bålsta Believed to Have Lain for a Long Time

Danger After Helicopter Alert in the Kiruna Mountains

Danger After Helicopter Alert in the Kiruna Mountains

More Suspects in Växjö Murder

More Suspects in Växjö Murder

Unclear what caused the test failure: "Disappointed"

Unclear what caused the test failure: "Disappointed"

New discovery rewrites human evolution

New discovery rewrites human evolution

14 years imprisonment for attempted murder in Malmö

14 years imprisonment for attempted murder in Malmö

Man arrested - suspected of murdering his wife

Man arrested - suspected of murdering his wife

Man charged with murder of Ica Maxi employee

Man charged with murder of Ica Maxi employee

No benefits will be affected by the AF crash

No benefits will be affected by the AF crash

Long journey for textile waste ends in incineration

Long journey for textile waste ends in incineration

Prison staff forgot to lock up over 100 times

Prison staff forgot to lock up over 100 times

Sweden provides 300 million to Gaza

Sweden provides 300 million to Gaza

Malmer Stenergard reported to the Constitutional Committee after the share purchase

Malmer Stenergard reported to the Constitutional Committee after the share purchase

Homes and extra cash in the hunt for police officers

Homes and extra cash in the hunt for police officers

Research reveals unexpected favorite weekday

Research reveals unexpected favorite weekday

Svantesson skeptical about higher taxes for defense

Svantesson skeptical about higher taxes for defense

Motorcyclist Seriously Injured in Accident

Motorcyclist Seriously Injured in Accident

Sharp Hand Grenade Found in Garden in Bålsta

Sharp Hand Grenade Found in Garden in Bålsta

After the crash – AF's website up again

After the crash – AF's website up again

Total Stop on E20 after Accident

Total Stop on E20 after Accident

Researchers' trick against ill health – raise the tax

Researchers' trick against ill health – raise the tax

Police take orienteers' help in search efforts

Police take orienteers' help in search efforts

Expert on the Minister's Shareholding: "Be Cautious"

Expert on the Minister's Shareholding: "Be Cautious"

One dead after apartment fire in Malmö

One dead after apartment fire in Malmö

Few relapse into crime after forensic psychiatric care

Few relapse into crime after forensic psychiatric care

Surprising Find in Giraffe Poop

Surprising Find in Giraffe Poop

Dropped by home care – broke both legs

Dropped by home care – broke both legs

Smaller Explosion in Gothenburg

Smaller Explosion in Gothenburg

Bear shot in self-defense during lynx hunt

Bear shot in self-defense during lynx hunt

Warm and bathing weather at the weekend – colder next week

Warm and bathing weather at the weekend – colder next week

The Flu Puts Pressure on the Country's Emergency Departments: "Tough Period"

The Flu Puts Pressure on the Country's Emergency Departments: "Tough Period"

Human Remains Found at Two Locations

Human Remains Found at Two Locations

Fourth person arrested after murder in Fruängen

Fourth person arrested after murder in Fruängen

Boy detained for weapons offense at high school

Boy detained for weapons offense at high school

Swedish man dead in Thailand

Swedish man dead in Thailand

The AF's website still down - job seekers may be affected

The AF's website still down - job seekers may be affected