AFP chief says policing alone can't fix rise in online child abuse
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett reports that over one-third of children sexually victimized online turn to AI chatbots for help or remain silent. The AFP is working on new triage tools to manage reports of harm while emphasizing that technology cannot replace human support for vulnerable youth.
Why it matters
This highlights the growing reliance of children on AI for emotional support during crises and the challenges law enforcement faces in monitoring digital exploitation.
More than one in three children turn to AI chatbots for help when they are sexually victimised online, or keep quiet entirely, data shows.
The AFP commissioner says software cannot replace human support and that parents need to encourage children to speak up.
The AFP is helping to develop a tool that triages reports of harm for human assessment.
Link copied Share Share article More than one in three Australian children who are sexually victimised online either tell no-one or turn to an AI chatbot for help, according to data from Adelaide University.
The data has prompted Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett to warn law enforcement cannot be the only safety net for vulnerable young people.
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