There is a type of app in the news at the moment that understandably worries parents. So called "nudify" tools use artificial intelligence to take an ordinary, clothed photo of a person and generate a fake nude image of them. The results can look disturbingly real. This guide explains what is going on in plain terms, and, more importantly, what actually helps. There is no need to panic, but it is worth understanding.
What these tools are
A nudify app takes a normal picture, a school photo, a holiday snap, an image from a social account, and uses AI to produce a fake naked version of it. The person never took that photo and never consented to it. The image is invented by software.
When the target is a child, this is not a grey area. Creating, possessing or sharing a nude image of a child, even a fake, AI generated one, is illegal in the UK and is treated as child sexual abuse material. That is true whether an adult made it or another child did.
Why parents are hearing about it now
Two things have pushed this up the agenda.
First, the tools have become cheap and easy to find, so misuse has spread into schools. Research from the education safety company Smoothwall in early 2026 found that around a quarter of educators had come across pupils using AI to create nude or abusive images. Internet Matters research has also found that a significant number of teenagers have already encountered nude deepfakes online.
Second, criminals have started using the technique for blackmail. UK bodies including the National Crime Agency and the Internet Watch Foundation have warned that offenders are scraping ordinary photographs, including images from school websites, running them through AI tools, and then demanding money to keep the fakes offline. The government's safeguarding minister has described this as a deeply worrying emerging threat.
None of this means your child is a target. It does mean this is worth a calm conversation before it ever comes up.
The conversation that helps most
The single most protective thing is that your child feels able to tell you if something happens, without fear of being in trouble. Children often stay silent out of shame or panic, which is exactly what a blackmailer relies on.
A few points worth landing, in your own words:
- It is never their fault. If someone makes or shares a fake image of them, the person who did it has broken the law. The child in the picture has done nothing wrong.
- Making these images of someone is not a joke. Some children do this to classmates thinking it is funny. Be clear that it is harmful and against the law, and can land them in serious trouble.
- Consent applies to images too. Using someone’s face to make an image they never agreed to is a violation, even when the image is fake.
- Come to me first. Reassure them that whatever happens, you will help them sort it out and you will not be angry with them.
If a fake image of your child is made or shared
Act calmly and keep evidence. The steps below are the ones charities and the police recommend.
- Do not pay any blackmail demand. Paying tends to lead to more demands, not fewer. Stop contact with the person.
- Keep the evidence. Save usernames, messages and screenshots, but do not forward the image itself to anyone.
- Report it on the platform. Use the reporting tools on the app, website, social platform or group chat where it appeared. If it has been shared in more than one place, report it in each.
- Use Report Remove. This is a free tool run by Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation. It helps anyone under 18 in the UK report a nude image or video of themselves so it can be found and taken down across the internet.
- Tell the school if other pupils are involved. Schools now have safeguarding duties around this and should take it seriously.
- Contact the police on 101, or 999 if your child is in immediate danger. For blackmail and threats, the police are the right people to involve.
Sensible prevention, without the fear
You cannot childproof the whole internet, and trying to will only wear you out. A few steady habits reduce the risk.
- Tighten privacy settings. Set social accounts to private so photos are not freely available to strangers to scrape.
- Talk about what gets posted. The fewer clear, face on public photos your child has floating around, the less raw material there is for misuse.
- Check who can see school and club photos. It is reasonable to ask a school or club how they store and publish images of children.
- Keep the door open. Come back to the subject now and then, lightly. A child who knows you will stay calm is a child who will tell you when it matters.
This is a genuinely nasty use of a powerful technology, and it is right that parents, schools, charities and the police are treating it seriously. The good news is that the things that protect children here are the same things that protect them everywhere online: honest conversation, sensible privacy, and knowing that home is a safe place to bring a problem.