AI-Generated Sexualized Images of Minors Circulate in German School Chats
AI image generation tools are being used to create and manipulate sexualized images of minors in German school chats. Experts report the practice is widespread, with victims experiencing long-term psychological harm, and the EU Commission is proposing new safety requirements for platforms and AI providers serving children.
What happened
Sexualized images, some created or manipulated using artificial intelligence, are circulating in German school class chats. A 15-year-old reported that people she knew created nude images from her photos using AI.
According to Saskia Nakari of the Landesmedienzentrum (LMZ) in Stuttgart, six out of ten young girls in her sixth-grade workshops reported receiving unsolicited sexually explicit images. Juuuport, an online counseling platform, reports that 250 to 300 young people contact them monthly, with 35 scouts providing peer support, primarily to 14-17 year-olds and 10-13 year-olds.
Reported impact
Victims suffer from mobbing consequences that can last for years. Children and adolescents often cannot assess the consequences of sharing such content, and sharing sexualized violence can be criminal.
Experts note that sexualized boundary violations have become normalized in digital spaces for many young people at an increasingly early age.
Index analysis
Mediapädagogin Petra Grimm from the Hochschule der Medien in Stuttgart states that youth sharing such content is often driven by group dynamics and social confirmation rather than technical curiosity. Those who share content confirm friendships and gain recognition.
Governance controls
The EU Commission plans to require social networks, certain gaming platforms, and AI providers for children and adolescents to demonstrate that their services are safe. Children would not have access to these services until they prove safety compliance.
EU Parliament and the 27 EU member states must still deliberate on this proposal, which could take months or years to implement.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.