Sat Aug 30 06:02:12 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:

**Summary:**

The article explores the emerging trend of using Generative AI to transform still images into videos, highlighting both the emotional appeal and the potential ethical and legal dangers, especially concerning children. While some find comfort and nostalgia in bringing old photos to life, critics raise concerns about creating “false” memories, potential for deepfakes, defamation, and misuse of children’s images. Experts and organizations are urging stricter regulations and safeguards, emphasizing the need for consent, transparency, and accountability in the AI space, while the law is lagging behind. The article highlights concerns about child exploitation and the potential for misuse of children’s images in advertising, entertainment, or even worse, CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material). The article cites responses from Google as well as the views of the NCMEC (National Center for Missing and Exploited Children)

**News Article:**

**AI-Powered Photo Animation Sparks Debate: Emotional Tool or Ethical Minefield?**

*New Delhi, August 30, 2025* – A viral trend of using Generative AI to animate still photos is sparking a heated debate, with concerns mounting over potential ethical and legal ramifications, particularly regarding children.

The trend gained momentum after Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian shared an AI-generated video of a childhood photo with his late mother, eliciting both empathy and criticism. While some praised the technology’s ability to evoke emotions and recreate memories, others warned about the dangers of fabricating experiences and blurring the lines between reality and artificiality.

The ability to create these videos is becoming increasingly accessible with tools like Grok Imagine (Musk), Google’s ‘Create’ mode in Photos, and other smaller platforms. This ease of access, according to experts, opens the door to potential misuse, including deepfakes, defamation, and the exploitation of vulnerable individuals, especially children.

“The lower the barriers to creating realistic content, the more we also need to think about ethics, consent and context,” warns data protection lawyer Kleanthi Sardeli.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has expressed “deep concern” about the use of Generative AI for the sexual exploitation of children, reporting a significant increase in child sexual exploitation reports involving GAI.

While companies like Google claim to have implemented safeguards, including digital watermarks and content filters, critics argue that these measures are often insufficient and that existing laws struggle to keep pace with the rapidly evolving technology.

In India, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) has issued advisories requiring platforms to remove morphed content, particularly if it is graphic or sexually abusive. However, experts emphasize the need for stronger, comprehensive regulations and international cooperation to address the misuse of children’s likenesses in AI-generated content.

“Stronger rules around consent, transparency, and accountability are needed, along with technical standards that make it harder to misuse children’s photos,” stated Ms. Sardeli. The debate underscores the urgent need for a nuanced and ethical approach to AI development and deployment, particularly when it comes to protecting the most vulnerable members of society.

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