tech
OpenAI’s child exploitation reports increased sharply this year
Incident reports spiked during the first six months of 2025.
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TL;DR
- OpenAI sent 80 times more child exploitation reports to NCMEC in H1 2025 than H1 2024.
- Increased reports may reflect changes in moderation or criteria, not necessarily more nefarious activity.
- OpenAI cites user growth, image upload features, and enhanced review capacity for the increase.
- The number of reports and content pieces saw a marked increase between the two periods.
- This trend mirrors a broader increase in generative AI-related reports at NCMEC.
- AI companies, including OpenAI, face increased scrutiny over child safety from state attorneys general, lawsuits, and government bodies.
- OpenAI has introduced new safety features like parental controls and a Teen Safety Blueprint.