Media Release
AFP invests in tech to protect against online harm as teens turn to AI for help
AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett has raised concerns about new research findings that reveal young victims of online sexual exploitation are more likely to seek help from an AI bot than authorities.
Commissioner Barrett said AI and non-AI online child sexual victimisation: A national study of Australian Adolescents was sober reading and provided the AFP with valuable insights.
The research, authored by Tim Cubitt and his team at the Australian Cybercrime Observatory at Adelaide University, identified seven central findings.
- The concerning prevalence of online child sexual victimisation identified in data in 2021 is persisting in 2026;
- Girls are victimised at higher rates than boys;
- AI is being used to victimise young people at concerning rates, especially through image-based sexual abuse such as nude photographs;
- When AI has been used to target youth for online sexual material, more boys are being victimised;
- Boys are more likely to disclose their experiences of online sexual victimisation to AI rather than authority figures such as teachers, police or other reporting lines;
- Of those boys, two in five did not disclose their victimisation to any human – only to AI or no one; and
- Both AI and non-AI online child sexualised victim experiences were clustered in peer groups, meaning those who had a friend experience victimisation were more likely to experience victimisation themselves.
The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), the National Office for Child Safety and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children Australia (ICMEC Australia) collaborated on the research.
Details of the research coincided with the AFP announcing it was partnering with Monash University through the AiLECS Lab to develop a real-time online welfare alert tool.
The proposed tool aims to support the early identification of reports involving the potential risk of child self-harm. It would assess reports from members of the public sent to the ACCCE and identify language that may indicate a risk of self-harm.
Where relevant language is detected, the system would alert trained AFP members by text message and phone call for further assessment, supporting the timely prioritisation and response to potentially critical matters.
Commissioner Barrett last year introduced five priorities when appointed to the role, with one of those priorities including protecting vulnerable communities.
“Vulnerable communities include our youth. When I became Commissioner, I told the Australian public I would have honest and open conversations with them to help keep their kids safe, even if it was confronting to hear,’’ Commissioner Barrett said.
“One of the most concerning findings of this research is that, of the children who reported being sexually victimised online, 35 per cent either told no one or turned to an AI chatbot for help.
“More than 15 per cent of young people also reported seeking personal or counselling advice from AI at least once a week.
“Parents and caregivers need to know that this is happening and I urge them to have conversations with their children about coming forward to a trusted adult, including law enforcement, if they are being sexually exploited online, so the appropriate help and support can be provided.
“When someone reaches out for help, particularly about child exploitation or abuse, every minute can matter.”
AI tools available on the internet can be used to create new sexual images, digitally alter existing images to remove clothing and sexualise poses, or edit conversations in videos.
Commissioner Barrett said the AFP was investing in innovation capabilities and working closely with tech companies.
“We are talking to industry about how they can ensure chatbots and other AI models provide sound advice – such as encouraging adolescents to seek help from a trusted adult and diverting others from offending,’’ Commissioner Barrett said.
“One of my key focuses as Commissioner is partnering with the private sector so we can co-develop innovative AI capabilities that can be used at scale.
“It is also important for the tech industry to embed safety features into digital platforms from the start.
“The research findings also help inform our understanding of what’s needed in the prevention and education space and highlight the importance of the ACCCE-led ThinkUKnow online safety program.
“The AFP has a long-standing partnership with Monash University to develop AI technologies and safety frameworks for their use.”
Commissioner Barrett said the AFP regularly seized and reviewed vast amounts of data in criminal investigations and technology offered significant benefits for community safety.
“The AFP is working with partners on a range of technologies, including tools to triage threatening correspondence directed at Commonwealth officials, and capabilities to help investigators identify connections between online identities, devices and services used by serious offenders,’’ Commissioner Barrett said.
“Criminals move across online platforms and use multiple devices, names and payment methods to try to avoid detection, but they always leave a digital trail.
“Technology can help us quickly connect information that would otherwise take weeks or months to piece together, allowing investigators to focus on protecting people and disrupting criminal activity sooner.”
Commissioner Barrett said using automated tools could also protect the wellbeing of members by reducing their exposure to distressing content during initial reviews.
“However, the future of policing isn't about replacing skilled human judgement with technology," Commissioner Barrett said.
“It's about using technology to help people make better decisions, respond more quickly and protect more Australians from harm.”
