A New Jersey high school is grappling with the fallout from a scandal involving AI-generated explicit images of female students circulated by their male peers. It is just the latest example of the disastrous consequences of unrestrained AI on American culture.
The New York Post reports that Westfield High School, a well-regarded school in Westfield, New Jersey, has become the center of a troubling controversy. AI-generated pornographic images of female students were reportedly created and distributed among male students, sparking a police investigation and widespread parental concern. Images and videos created by AI, known as deepfakes, can be very dificult to identify as computer generated.
deepfake Mark Zuckerberg (The Washington Post / Getty)
The incident came to light when unusual behavior and secretive whispering among sophomore boys raised suspicions. The truth emerged when it was revealed that at least one student had used online photos to create deepfake nudes of female classmates, which were then shared in group chats. This revelation has sent shockwaves through the school community, with several students identified by school administrators as being depicted in the images.
Breitbart News previously reported on the threat of AI-generated deepfake child pornography flooding the internet:
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) says it has already found very realistic AI-generated images depicting child sexual abuse, and that the technology could be used to generate “unprecedented quantities” of such content, according to a report by Sky News.
Moreover, the images are so realistic, that it may become more difficult to determine when real children are in danger, the IWF, which finds and removes child abuse content on the internet, warned.
The online sites the IWF investigated, some of which were reported by the public, reportedly featured images depicting children as young as three. The IWF said it even found an online “manual” to help perverts use AI to create more realistic child abuse images.
One concerned parent, Dorota Mani, expressed her fears for her daughter’s future, stating, “I am terrified by how this is going to surface and when. My daughter has a bright future and no one can guarantee this won’t impact her professionally, academically or socially.” Mani’s daughter, Francesca, was among those whose image was used to generate deepfake pornography.
The technology behind these images is alarmingly accessible, with numerous free AI-backed image generators available online. The sophistication of these tools means that the deepfakes are increasingly realistic, making it difficult to distinguish them from authentic images.
As Breitbart News previously reported, Facebook allowed hundreds of deepfake porn ads featuring famous actresses to run on its platforms, making AI-powered deepfake generators even more available to the general public.
The school’s principal, Mary Asfendis, addressed the incident in an email to parents, underscoring the gravity of the situation and the potential harm such actions can cause. “This is a very serious incident,” Asfendis wrote. “New technologies have made it possible to falsify images and students need to know the impact and damage those actions can cause to others.” She also emphasized the importance of teaching responsible technology use.
Read more at the New York Post here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.