What if the sexual image of the young person is fake or AI-generated?

Information reviewed September 2026. Platforms, reporting tools, school policy and online-harm tactics can change quickly, so use the linked PEI or Canadian source when current steps matter.

Canadian child-protection guidance changed because these incidents are increasing.

In February 2026, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection updated its national school guide to address real, edited and AI-generated intimate images. Cybertip.ca recorded 527 youth reports involving non-consensual intimate-image distribution in 2025, including 19 facilitated by AI.

Canadian Centre for Child Protection: 2026 school guidance update

Do not tell the youth "it is fake, so ignore it."

The harm can come from classmates believing the image, repeated sharing, sexual harassment, threats, humiliation or the fear that the image will reach family and school. A fake image can create a very real safety and mental-health crisis.

Treat threats and distribution as an incident to document.

• Record usernames, links, dates and threatening messages.
• Do not circulate the image among adults or students to confirm what it looks like.
• Use platform reporting tools and Cybertip.ca where the content involves sexual exploitation of a minor.
• Ask the school to address peer distribution, retaliation and rumours if students are involved.
• Use NeedHelpNow.ca for youth image-removal support.

AI can also be used for impersonation and manipulation.

Cybertip.ca now includes AI and deepfakes among its online-harms resources. Caregivers should teach youth that convincing images, audio and video can be altered, and that a request for money, secrecy or sexual content should not be trusted simply because a video call, voice message or image appears real.

Cybertip.ca: Online harms

Do not investigate by confronting the suspected youth yourself.

If a school peer may have created or distributed the content, give the evidence to the school and, where appropriate, police or Cybertip.ca. Direct confrontation can lead to deletion of accounts, more distribution or retaliation.

Protect the youth's dignity at school.

Ask staff to limit who needs to know, prevent repeated viewing, address rumours, identify one trusted adult and make a plan for classes, lunch, transportation or extracurricular activities if the youth feels unsafe.