The misuse of AI has landed a group of middle school students in serious trouble after they created and disseminated explicit images of their classmates. Five students from a Beverly Hills, California, middle school have reportedly been expelled after creating AI deep fake porn of more than a dozen classmates.
The Daily Mail reports that five eighth-grade students from Beverly Vista Middle School in Beverly Hills, California, have been expelled for their involvement in the creation and circulation of AI-generated nude pictures of their peers. The expulsions came after a unanimous vote by the Beverly Hills Unified School District board of education at a special meeting held on Wednesday evening.
schoolkids using smartphones ( dolgachov/Getty)
deepfake mark zuckerberg (The Washington Post / Getty)
The disturbing case came to light in February when explicit images depicting the faces of 16 eighth-grade students, aged 13-14, superimposed on artificially generated naked bodies, were shared through messaging apps. The victims’ sex have not been disclosed, but the incident has sent shockwaves through the community and raised serious concerns about the misuse of emerging technologies.
This type of AI-generated image, known as a “deepfake,” can be very convincing to the untrained observer. Breitbart News previously reported that apps to generate deepfake porn have exploded in popularity.
According to Superintendent Michael Bregy, the five students expelled were deemed to be the “most egregiously involved” in the creation and dissemination of the explicit images. While the expulsion agreements remain confidential, they outline the terms and duration of the students’ expulsion, as well as the conditions for their potential return to school.
The incident has not only sparked outrage among parents but has also caught the attention of law enforcement authorities. The Beverly Hills Police Department and the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office are currently investigating the case, although no arrests or charges have been made thus far.
Parents have expressed their anger and frustration over the incident, with one parent emphasizing the need for severe consequences, stating, “It needs to be some kind of huge consequence for that.” The District, in an email to concerned parents, stated its firm stance against such misuse of AI, declaring, “Any student found to be creating, disseminating or in possession of AI-generated images of this nature will face disciplinary actions, including, but not limited to, a recommendation for expulsion.”
Students, understandably, feel unsafe and terrified, with one anonymous student telling NBC4, “It is very scary, people can’t feel safe to come to school. They are scared people will show off explicit photos of them.”
Breitbart News previously reported on a deepfake porn scandal that rocked a New Jersey high school:
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.
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.
Read more at the Daily Mail here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
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