UK schools should remove pupils’ online photos as AI blackmail threat grows, say experts
UK schools should remove pictures of pupils’ faces from their websites and social media accounts because blackmailers are using them to create sexually explicit images, experts have said.Child safety experts and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) warn that criminals are using AI to manipulate photos of children and then demand cash not to publish them.They are recommending educational institutions remove identifiable pictures of children from their websites and social media accounts – or consider not using them at all.The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) said an unnamed UK secondary school had recently been subjected to a blackmail attempt after criminals used the institution’s website or social media accounts to take photos of schoolchildren and then, using AI tools, turned them into child sexual abuse material (CSAM).The blackmailers sent the images to the school and threatened to publish them online if they did not receive money.
The IWF, which monitors CSAM online, used a digital tool to turn the blackmail images into a “hash”, or digital fingerprint, which was shared with leading tech platforms in order to prevent them from being uploaded.The watchdog said 150 of the images from the secondary school blackmail attempt could be classified as CSAM under UK law.Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, said the attempted blackmailing of schools was a “deeply worrying emerging threat” and laws on use of AI to create explicit images would be updated if necessary, having announced a ban on possessing AI models designed to generate CSAM.“We will not hesitate to go further if necessary and make sure our laws stay up to date with the latest threats,” she said.The IWF said the secondary school incident, which happened late last year, is not the only blackmail attempt involving manipulated school website or social media account photos that it is aware of in the UK.
The IWF is not naming the school involved in the incident last year, or the police force that contacted it seeking help in blocking distribution of the images,A UK advisory body on tackling online harms, the early warning working group (EWWG), has issued guidance to schools on protecting pupils from blackmailers,Although the problem is not widespread, the group is concerned it is “only a matter of time” before more schools are targeted,The group recommended schools remove images that show a student face-on and instead publish images that are harder to misuse, such as pictures taken from a distance, blurred images or portraits taken from behind a pupil,The advice warned against publishing “identifiable information” that could be used to harm or blackmail an individual, such as “names or faces”.
Schools should also consider whether they need pupil photos at all, said the guidance, stating that establishments should mull over “whether using imagery without children and young people’s faces can still achieve your objectives”.This included “celebrating achievements more safely” by showcasing milestones “while minimising risks”.Avoiding the use of names or full names in labelling photos will reduce the risk of blackmail, the advice added, while applying privacy settings to a school website or social media account will limit who can view or share content.A checklist of actions recommended by the EWWG included conducting regular audits of children’s images on websites, social media accounts and promotional material and regularly seeking re-signing of image consent agreements.If an incident occurs, the group advised schools to contact the police immediately, retain any criminal images and remove from view the original images that had been tampered with.
The EWWG’s members include the NSPCC charity, the IWF, the Welsh government, Education Scotland, the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland and the NCA.The Confederation of School Trusts (CST), whose academy schools educate more than four million primary and secondary schoolchildren across England, said schools would “carefully consider” the guidance and find the “right balance” between “celebrating pupils … and keeping everyone safe”.“As educators we instinctively want to celebrate children’s achievements and that includes sharing photos and videos of all the good things that go on in our schools – it is deeply depressing that in doing so we potentially have to contend with threats from abusers and scammers,” said Leora Cruddas, CST chief executive.Blackmailing people over intimate images is known as sextortion and the crime has a become increasingly prevalent, with the advent of generative AI tools giving criminals a new way of extorting victims.Typically, sextortion involves manipulating a child or adult into sending intimate images or videos of themselves and then threatening to send the images to friends or relatives, or release them online, if the victim does not send money or more explicit images.
Sextortion has been linked to the suicides of several British teenagers who have killed themselves after receiving extortion threats.In 2024, the Guardian reported the threat was evolving due to advances in AI, with one teenager being sent a fake “nude” image of herself that appeared to have been taken from her Instagram account.The Report Remove service, which allows children to flag explicit images or videos of themselves that have appeared – or could appear – online, said sextortion attempts are increasing.Last year it received 394 reports from under-18s of blackmail attempts after the victims had been manipulated into sending sexual images to predators.The figure is 34% higher than in 2024.
Sextortion has been carried out by criminal gangs based outside the UK, with the NCA pointing to west Africa and Nigeria as hubs.It is understood that the secondary school sextortion attempt involved the use of terms that appear in negotiation “scripts” used by sextortion gangs.Some schools have already taken action after an increase in the threat from AI tools.Last year, the Loughborough Schools Foundation, which represents three private schools, redesigned its website to remove recognisable images of pupils.
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang joins other US bosses on Trump trip to China
The billionaire chief executive of the chipmaker Nvidia, Jensen Huang, has joined Donald Trump’s China delegation after a reported last-minute invitation, highlighting the US’s AI and tech ambitions.Huang will join a roster of US bosses including the Tesla chief executive and X owner, Elon Musk, the Apple chief executive, Tim Cook, and Goldman Sachs’s David Solomon at Trump’s 36-hour meeting with the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.The high-stakes summit is the first overseas trip for Trump since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran in late February. The summit is expected to cover topics including that conflict, tariffs and China’s relationship with Taiwan.Huang was not on the initial list of business delegates, according to reports
How to use spent tea leaves to smoke Chinese-style duck – recipe
A masterclass in smoking duck breasts the Sichuan way, but with used teabagsWhen I worked at River Cottage HQ, we used to smoke duck, rabbit and fish in a smoker made out of an old bread bin. It always felt like an exciting and alchemical way to cook, yielding incredible results, and it’s so simple, not least because food has been smoked since we first learned to cook over fire. Today’s recipe is my simple take on Chinese zhangcha duck, River Cottage-style and with a zero-waste twist by using spent teabags as the perfect fuel.It was always fun cooking at River Cottage: in between cooking lunch for our guests, we’d do cooking demos and sometimes cooked to camera (I have a cameo at the end of this video of Gill Meller making smoked duck that was filmed more than 20 years ago!)Zhangcha duck is traditionally smoked with camphor leaves and green or black tea, and while you can find camphor in some Asian supermarkets and online, tea alone does the job very well, too. Even still-wet spent teabags will work perfectly, imparting their incredible aroma into the meat
Weight gain as adult increases cancer risk by up to five times, research shows
Gaining weight as an adult increases the risk of cancer by up to five times, according to research involving more than 600,000 patients.Obesity can cause 13 different cancers and is thought to be linked to another eight. But less is known about the impact on cancer risk of the amount of weight put on – and when in life it is gained.To find out, researchers at Lund University in Sweden analysed weight and cancer incidence data from more than 600,000 men and women and found there was no safe age to get heavier.The study, presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Istanbul, measured the weight of more than 250,000 men and just under 380,000 women an average of four times between the ages of 17 and 60
Sarah Taylor named England men’s fielding coach while Gay, Rew and Baker are called up
On a day when England named three uncapped players in their Test squad, brought Ollie Robinson out of cold storage and officially confirmed a new selector had joined the set-up, perhaps the most significant news was the identity of their fielding coach.Sarah Taylor, the former England wicketkeeper, will be in charge of the fielding drills during the three-Test series against New Zealand that begins at Lord’s on 4 June – the first female coach to work in the men’s senior setup.The fact that Rob Key, the England men’s team director, almost mentioned it in passing was fitting for a coach who has quietly risen through the ranks. Taylor, 36, has held a number of roles in the men’s game since hanging up her gloves five years ago, including spells with Sussex men and Manchester Originals in the Hundred.This latest post is just for the New Zealand series initially but may continue through the summer
Wes Streeting prepares to launch leadership challenge against Keir Starmer
Wes Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer on Thursday if the health secretary can secure the support of enough MPs to trigger a contest.Streeting’s move to force a race has sparked a frantic scramble on the left of Labour to find a candidate to oppose him, with Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner both possible contenders.The health secretary, who is considered to be on the Blairite right of the party, has been organising an attempt to oust the prime minister for days since Labour’s disastrous election results, despite his friends insisting he did not want to make the first move.Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, is the favoured replacement for Starmer by many on the soft left, but does not yet have a seat despite trying to persuade several MPs to stand down for him. His latest hopes are said to be Afzal Khan or Jeff Smith, both Manchester MPs
Coconut dal, cheesy pickle toasties, carrot halva cakes: Ravinder Bhogal’s tastes of home – recipes
Public institutions, from hospitals to museums, are the most international communities, both in the workforce and in those who visit. It’s something that became obvious to us when we were cooking our globally inspired meals for frontline workers at Kings College Hospital, London, during the pandemic. The menu at Café Jikoni, our new restaurant at the V&A East museum, speaks to the depth and breadth of east London’s diverse community, with dishes that cross borders, celebrate pluralism and taste like home – wherever that may be. After all, the best hospitality is all about making your guests feel at home.This dal wanders from India into Thailand; we make a curry paste from scratch at Café Jikoni, but using a good-quality one, such as Maeploy, is a smart shortcut
Did breakthrough in US fentanyl crisis start in China?
Older people risk mental decline if they do long hours of caring, UK study shows
Steve Lismore obituary
Renters’ Rights Act could worsen court delays without proper funding | Letters
‘Everyone was in tears’: the tenants given eviction notices just before ban in England
Ash scattering is a risky business | Brief letters