Island Kids Taught Digital Dangers: Deepfakes & Grooming

Authorities on the island are intensifying efforts to protect children from online sexual risks, including deepfakes, nudifying apps, grooming, and sextortion. Schools are expanding digital safety education, as detailed in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy Annual Report 2025. This initiative addresses growing concerns about harmful sexual content and exploitation in the digital realm.

In 2025, safeguarding services received 20 referrals for child sexual exploitation, 96 for sexual abuse, and 72 for harmful sexual behaviour. To counter these threats, lessons on grooming and AI-generated deepfakes have been broadened, and parents are offered online safety guidance. A multi-agency partnership, including education, health, police, and third-sector groups, is spearheading this work.

Specific topics covered in the tailored lessons include sexting, indecent images of children, sextortion, romance scams, online predators, consent, and the risks associated with nudifying apps. A new lesson for Year 10 students in 2025 specifically addresses harmful online content and technological advancements like deepfakes. These preventative measures reflect broader societal concerns about the sexualization of culture and children.

The report noted a 9% increase in recorded sexual offenses in 2025, with 258 cases. While not directly linked to online activity, the significance of digital safety for schools, police, and health services is increasingly recognized. Parents are being educated through awareness sessions to help them identify and respond to online risks, with accompanying family guides providing further information and resources.