A US court has just exposed a disturbing gap between AI and child protection law.
On 25 August 2026, the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that the private possession of fully AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM) can be constitutionally protected when no real child was involved in creating the images.
AI Is Talking to Your Kids. Can You Trust It?
Three AI developments parents need to know this week — and what to do about them
AI is becoming part of children’s everyday lives. They use it for homework, advice, entertainment and increasingly, companionship.
Before you post, ask five questions
1. Would my child be comfortable seeing this at 16?
2. Does it reveal where they live, learn or spend time?
3. Does it reveal identifying information?
4. Could this photograph be misused, copied or manipulated?
5. Does this really need to be public?
If you’re uncomfortable with any of the answers, don’t post it.
AI companions, deepfakes and increasingly powerful AI tools are creating new risks for children. This week, research suggested that one in three children would rather talk to an AI companion than a real person, while child-safety experts continue to warn about companion chatbots and AI-generated explicit images. Parents do not need to understand every new technology. But we do need to understand the risks and set sensible boundaries.
AI is now shaping what your child sees, who they talk to, and how easily they can be fooled. Here is what happened this week, and the simple steps that keep your family safer.
This week’s AI news carried more than the usual headlines about tech companies and market share. Several major developments directly affect how children experience the internet, who or what they are talking to online, and the risks they face from AI-generated content. As a parent or guardian, here is what you need to understand.
We created a profile of an 11 year old girl on a social media app. Within 5 minutes, we had received images of male genatalia. Cyberflashing is a growing threat to young children.
Has POPIA served to deter companies from using our children’s personal data or are they still receiving unsolicited messages?
Millions of people struggle to read, write, hear clearly, or express themselves confidently. Modern phones make communication so easy with built in features that are rarely used!
Australia is the first country to ban social media for children younger than 16 years old. This is a landmark legislation with negative and positive implications. Read about it here.
