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Toronto Sun
10-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
AI-generated child abuse webpages surge 400%, alarming watchdog
Published Jul 10, 2025 • 2 minute read An attendee takes part in a hackathon on the opening day of the European Blockchain Convention at the Fira de Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2023. Photo by Angel Garcia / Bloomberg (Bloomberg) — Reports of child sexual abuse imagery created using artificial intelligence tools have surged 400% in the first half of 2025 according to new data from the UK-based nonprofit Internet Watch Foundation. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The organization, which monitors child sexual abuse material online, recorded 210 webpages containing AI-generated material in the first six months of 2025, up from 42 in the same period the year before, according to a report published this week. On those pages were 1,286 videos, up from just two in 2024. The majority of this content was so realistic it had to be treated under UK law as if it were actual footage, the IWF said. Roughly 78% of the videos—1,006 in total—were classified as 'Category A,' the most severe level, which can include depictions of rape, sexual torture, and bestiality, the IWF said. Most of the videos involved girls and in some cases used the likenesses of real children. The growing prevalence of AI-generated child abuse material has alarmed law enforcement worldwide. As generative AI tools become more accessible and sophisticated, the quality of the pictures and videos are improving, making it harder than ever to detect using traditional techniques. While early videos were short and glitchy, the IWF now sees longer, more realistic productions featuring complex scenes and varied settings. Authorities say the content is often used for harassment and extortion.'Just as we saw with still images, AI videos of child sexual abuse have now reached the point they can be indistinguishable from genuine films,' said Derek Ray-Hill, interim chief executive of the IWF. 'The children being depicted are often real and recognizable, the harm this material does is real, and the threat it poses threatens to escalate even further.'Law enforcement agencies are starting to take action. In a coordinated operation earlier this year, Europol arrested 25 individuals in connection with distributing such material. More than 250 suspects were identified across 19 countries, Bloomberg IWF called for the UK to develop a regulatory framework to ensure AI models have controls to block the production of this type of material. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In February, the UK became the first country to criminalize the creation and distribution of AI tools intended to generate child abuse content. The law bans possession of AI models optimized to produce such material, as well as manuals that instruct offenders on how to do so. In the US, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children—an IWF counterpart—said it received over 7,000 reports related to AI-generated child sexual abuse content in 2024. While most commercial AI tools include safeguards against generating abusive content, some open-source or custom models lack these protections, making them vulnerable to misuse. NHL Toronto Blue Jays Golf Celebrity Toronto & GTA
Korea Herald
04-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Smart City Expo 2025 urges cities to become drivers of change in its largest edition
BARCELONA, Spain, July 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), the leading international event on cities and smart urban solutions organized by Fira de Barcelona will hold its largest edition ever in 2025. From November 4-6 and under the theme "The Time for Cities" the show and congress will gather 1,000 exhibitors, 25,000 attendees and grow its exhibition floorspace to break the record set on its last edition. The event, held at Fira's Gran Via venue, will focus on strategies to transform current metropolises into more sustainable, efficient, and livable spaces. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have a central role as a key asset capable of accelerating a much-needed push towards more efficient and sustainable cities. The new "AI-enabled cities" area will showcase examples of how this technology can improve and speed up urban transformation projects. The exhibition floor space will gather companies from around the world to showcase the latest solutions, among which are Axis Communications, Bentley, Dahua Technology, Dassault Systèmes, Dell, Deloitte, iotsquared, Microsoft, Nvidia, Spie, Urbaser and Veolia. Additionally, the event will also house many country pavilions including Argentina, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Nordics, United Kingdom and the USA. The Capital of Urban Knowledge SCEWC will gather over 600 speakers and international experts in a congress structured around eight main tracks: Enabling Technologies, Energy & Environment, Mobility, Governance & Economy, Living & Inclusion, Infrastructure & Building, and Blue Economy. Among the confirmed speakers are Nikki Greenberg, CEO of Real Estate of the future and a globally recognized futurist and strategic advisor; and Kate O'Neill, Founder and CEO of KO Insights, a renowned digital innovator focused on enhancing human experiences through data-driven and AI-led interactions. The Global Hub of Innovation SCEWC will strengthen its role as a global hub of urban innovation by hosting again World Congress, organized by Fira de Barcelona and EIT Urban Mobility and aimed at developing a new and sustainable urban mobility paradigm; and the third editions of Tomorrow Building, focused on innovative construction, and Economy, aimed at using the full potential of ocean resources for sustainable economic growth. To round off this unmatchable offer, SCEWC will host the fourth edition of the Barcelona Deep Tech Summit, an event organized by Barcelona Activa focused on scientific tech entrepreneurship and university spin-offs.
Leaders
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Italian Puglia Region Cuts Ties with Israel over Gaza Genocide
The government of Italy's southern Puglia region has cut relations with Israel over its genocide in Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera. Puglia Governor Michele Emiliano stated that the Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. Therefore, Emiliano called for an immediate suspension of all relations with all representatives of Israeli government. Emiliano also urged 'all managers and employees of the region, its agencies and participating companies to sever all relations of any kind with the institutional representatives of the Israeli government and with all those subjects attributable to it who are not openly and declaredly motivated by the desire to organize initiatives to stop the massacre of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip,' according to state-run ANSA news agency. Mounting Pressure on Israel Furthermore, Barcelona's city council voted to cut twin-city ties with Israel and suspend its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv over Israel's genocide in Gaza. 'The suffering and death in Gaza over the past year and a half, and recent attacks by the Israeli government, make any relationship unviable,' said Mayor Jaume Collboni during Friday's council session. The move seeks to cut all official relations with the Israeli government until they respect the international law and maintain fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. The city will also suspend a 1998 friendship agreement with Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Therefore, it urged the trade fair organizer Fira de Barcelona not to host any Israeli pavilions or companies which are part of the weapons trade or even profiting from the ongoing war in Gaza. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 53,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 118,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Arab Ministers Condemn Israel's Ban on West Bank Visit Israel Accepts Witkoff's New Gaza Ceasefire Proposal: Netanyahu Germany Threatens Israel with Arms Exports Halt Over Gaza Crisis Short link : Post Views: 1
Leaders
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Leaders
Barcelona Severs Twin-City Ties with Tel Aviv over Gaza War
Barcelona's city council voted to cut twin-city ties with Israel and suspend its friendship agreement with Tel Aviv over Israel's genocide in Gaza, according to Al-Jazeera. 'The suffering and death in Gaza over the past year and a half, and recent attacks by the Israeli government, make any relationship unviable,' said Mayor Jaume Collboni during Friday's council session. The move seeks to cut all official relations with the Israeli government until they respect the international law and maintain fundamental rights of the Palestinian people. The city will also suspend a 1998 friendship agreement with Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Therefore, it urged the trade fair organizer Fira de Barcelona not to host any Israeli pavilions or companies which are part of the weapons trade or even profiting from the ongoing war in Gaza. In 2024, Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognized a Palestinian state amid Israel's ongoing war in Gaza. Catalonia The Government of Catalonia announced on Thursday, May 22, the immediate closure of its trade office in Tel Aviv. This remarkable move comes amid mounting international criticism of Israel's heavy airstrikes and its blockade of humanitarian aid in Gaza. The Catalan government has also criticized Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. It described it as 'double standards' in addressing the genocide in Gaza, where 'basic rights are being violated.' 'We are fully committed to human rights, and this double standard regarding Israel's participation in Eurovision weakens us,' Catalan Government Spokesperson Sílvia Paneque stated during a press conference. Spanish Government During his speech in the parliament, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called Israel a 'genocidal state,' stating that Madrid 'does not do business' with such a country. The PM's remarks came as a response to a provocative comment from an anti-Israel member of parliament who condemned Spain's trade relations with what he called the 'genocide state' of Israel. Sanchez's comments sparked anger in Israel, prompting Israel's Foreign Ministry to summon the Spanish Ambassador, Ana Salomon, for a formal reprimand in Jerusalem. Since the beginning of Hamas-Israel War in Gaza in 2023, the Israeli strikes have killed more than 53,500 Palestinians and wounded more than 118,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Related Topics: Arab Ministers Condemn Israel's Ban on West Bank Visit France May Toughen Stance on Israel Over Gaza Aid Blockage Irish Politician Describes Israel's Military Campaign in Gaza as 'Barbaric' Short link : Post Views: 28
Local Spain
31-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Spain
Barcelona ends 'friendship agreement' with Tel Aviv over Gaza war
The motion, supported by the governing Socialist party along with far-left and leftist pro-independence groups, calls for an end to all official relations with Israel "until respect for international law" and the "basic rights of the Palestinian people" are restored. Barcelona will also suspend a 1998 friendship agreement with Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and it urged the trade fair organiser Fira de Barcelona not to host Israeli government pavilions or companies involved in the arms trade or profiting from the conflict in Gaza. A similar recommendation was made to the Port of Barcelona. "The suffering and death in Gaza over the past year and a half, and recent attacks by the Israeli government, make any relationship unviable," Barcelona's Mayor Jaume Collboni said during the council session. It is not the first time Barcelona has moved to suspend ties with Israel. In 2023, then-mayor Ada Colau took similar steps, which were later reversed when Collboni won local elections. While the move has little practical impact, the decision by Spain's second-largest city -- a top tourist destination and home to one of the world's best-known football clubs -- adds to a growing list of critics of Israel's devastating war in Gaza. Barcelona's move comes a year after Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognised a Palestinian state in a coordinated decision slammed by Israel. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is one of the most outspoken critics in the European Union of Israel's military operations in Gaza.
