AI exploitation puts children at risk online as study calls for informed parenting

Amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) manipulation, parents and guardians were urged to be more informed about its risks to children.

In the study "Protecting Children from Online Grooming," conducted by Save the Children and Western Sydney University's Young and Resilient Research Centre, 604 children from seven countries, including the Philippines, raised alarm on children's faces being manipulated with AI and sold as sexual content.

“Children want their parents and caregivers to understand the platforms they (children) use, who they interact with, what they share, and how they might be harmed online,” noted the study.

While children often want to turn to parents when they encounter risks online, many feel their parents are ill-equipped or uninformed about digital platforms.

This gap in understanding leaves children feeling unsupported and may prevent them from seeking help when it is most needed.

“We hear it directly from children: they want our support, not our judgment. But to do that, we need to be also digitally informed. Otherwise, we risk leaving them alone to face these dangers,” Jerly Villanada, Save the Children Philippines’ (SCP) Child Protection Manager, said.

In the study, children specifically asked for parents and caregivers to: understand the platforms and applications their children use; learn about the risks as well as the benefits of children’s digital lives instead of focusing only on danger; talk to them openly, without fear or shame; support them in identifying red flags such as strangers asking for photos or personal information; and know how to block, report, and respond to harmful online behavior.

“We must never assume that the children’s silence means safety. Children are already navigating these digital risks. The question is: are we doing enough to guide them through it? Parents don’t have to be tech experts, but being curious, open, and willing to learn alongside your child can make all the difference,” Villanada said.

Since 2020, the SCP has trained 26,741 children and 6,874 parents in Metro Manila, Cavite, Davao City, Tagum City, Bukidnon and General Santos City, high-risk areas for online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).