SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros pushing tougher laws on AI-generated deepfake images
More evidence is emerging of South Australian students using AI to target classmates or teachers with deepfake images.
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Girls are using deepfake images as weapons “to retaliate” in bullying feuds, as authorities move to better educate teens about the risks of AI-generated content.
SA Best MP Connie Bonaros has revealed a case in which bullying between teen girls at separate high schools escalated to the point where one made a deepfake image of another.
The humiliated victim of the “invasive” image left her school and others feared they would be targeted too.
It comes after The Advertiser revealed on Thursday that in a separate incident, The Advertiser revealed on Thursday that a St Ignatius’ College student had been suspended indefinitely after the discovery of a deepfake image involving a teacher.
Ms Bonaros said she had spoken to students about a case in which “one girl was so humiliated and embarrassed by what had happened that she left her school”.
“There was ongoing bullying,” she said. “To retaliate, one of the girls created an explicit deepfake of this young girl or, if not explicit, then invasive.
“She left behind her friends (who were) fearing that they would be next.”
Ms Bonaros understood that case was reported to SA Police.
In the St Ignatius’ College case, principal Lauren Brooks told The Advertiser the school had contacted police – but that was not mentioned in an email sent to parents.
SA Police said the school had “been in contact”, but no official report had been made “at this time”.Ms Brooks’s email also did not mention that a staff member was affected, though she told The Advertiser they were “being supported”.
There is no suggestion the deepfake by the St Ignatius’ College student was sexually explicit.
In the email to parents, Ms Brooks wrote: “As a consequence of misuse of a digital platform, a student has been suspended indefinitely.
“We are taking this matter seriously and are working to support all involved, keeping their wellbeing our top priority.
“Our students know that we expect high standards of personal conduct and respect for others.”
SA public school students have access to an AI chatbot, known as EdChat, designed by the Education Department in conjunction with Microsoft.
In June, it was updated with the capacity to generate images from text descriptions.
However, there are restrictions on creating violent, adult or hateful content or manipulating images of celebrities or public figures.
Discussion of deepfakes has also been added to the new edition of the Keeping Safe child protection curriculum for public schools.
“It’s not just about learning to use artificial intelligence in the productive sense, but about understanding the things you legally can’t do with AI and the effect that might have on the people around you,” Education Minister Blair Boyer said.
For support visit esafety.gov.au or phone 1800 RESPECT.
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Originally published as SA Best MLC Connie Bonaros pushing tougher laws on AI-generated deepfake images
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