Warning issued to any parent who has ever shared an 'innocent' photo of their child online

Parents have been warned about posting seemingly 'innocent' family photos of their kids online, as a cyber security expert claims children can be put 'at risk'.

Those who look after children are constantly being advised and warned about the dangers that increasingly affect families in an age where technology is constantly evolving.

From limiting screen time, to banning social media for under 16s, parents can left feeling like they simply can't keep up.

But numerous tech experts have issued an important warning for parents who post their children on social media, even seemingly in 'private groups'.

Speaking with UK breakfast show Good Morning Britain, Hannah Swirsky, head of policy at the Internet Watch Foundation, said: "We have seen a real increase in AI generated material.

Sharing seemingly innocent images online could be putting children at risk (Getty Stock Images)

'AI has advanced so much, we've seen some crazy cases'

"So this can be photographs which have been manipulated or sexualized, it could be a child that doesn't exist, but imagery has been used to create this material."

She added: "We've seen certain cases where schools have been targeted, particularly for extortion."

Swirsky noted that 'offenders will scrape the imagery' and proceed to blackmail schools for lots of money.

But there are certain things you can do to help keep children safe, even if you enjoy sharing their images or achievements online.

'It's also good to talk about this with friends and family'

Jake Moore, a cyber security expert, said: "AI has advanced so much, we've seen some crazy cases. I think it's about reducing the risk of those images getting out into the public domain."

He explained: "So firstly try and keep them to closed groups, like Whatsapp family groups, they're probably the only people who want to see those images.

"But Instagram and Facebook now offer a feature called Close Friends, where you can pick the people you want to see those images. And that can really help reduce the chances of them getting out into the public."

The tech expert urged parents to keep images in closed groups (Getty Stock Images)

And while many parents might feel as though it's too late, after posting their children online for years after being misinformed of the dangers, Moore noted there are things you can do retrospectively.

"If you have been posting them for many years as some of us have been, you can review all those," he added.

"You can change albums so that only your friends can see them, or even just only you can see them.

"It's also good to talk about this with friends and family, it's about bringing up the conversations with the people who maybe don't realise that AI is so powerful, or scary."