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.
Still Getting Spam After Opting Out?
South Africa’s new opt-out system could finally change that.
For years, South Africans have clicked unsubscribe, replied STOP and registered on opt-out lists.
And the spam kept coming.
The problem wasn’t that we had no rules. We had the Consumer Protection Act and POPIA. The problem was weak enforcement and no properly functioning national opt-out system.
That is starting to change.
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 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.
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?
Are you traveling to a country that speaks a different language? Don’t worry, Google Translate and Google Lens have you covered.
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.
Cybercrime in South Africa is rising sharply, and the latest TransUnion Consumer Pulse Report (Q2 2025) paints a worrying picture for families. Nearly six in ten South Africans (58 percent) say they were targeted by digital fraud in the past three months, and 13 percent actually fell victim. These numbers show that cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, more aggressive and more successful than before .
