November 8th 2023.
Westfield High School student Francesca Mani and her mother, Dorota, are taking a stand against AI-generated pornographic images that were manipulated and shared of her and other female classmates. The images were shared over the summer without the consent of the girls, and according to CNN, Mani is now calling for federal legislation to protect victims of AI-generated porn.
The 14-year-old reported that over 30 female students were victims of the AI-generated images, and both Mani and her mother are urging the school and local and state government officials to take accountability for the situation.
Upon becoming aware of the incident, the school launched an investigation with consultation from the Westfield Police Department. Westfield Principal Mary Asfendis addressed the matter in an Oct. 20 letter to students and parents, expressing concern over who had images created of them and if they were shared.
“This is a very serious incident,” Asfendis noted. Superintendent Dr. Raymond González also released a statement on the matter, saying that “all school districts are grappling with the challenges and impact of artificial intelligence and other technology available to students at any time and anywhere.”
As for the future, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines deepfake as an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said. In light of this, WilmerHale attorney Matthew Ferraro, who is an expert in legal issues around AI, believes that “laws and regulation will have to play a role, at least in some of the highest-risk areas.”
Ten states, including Texas and California, have created policies that ban deepfakes, especially pornography. The European Union has also taken steps to address the issue by creating the AI Act to set rules and regulations on how AI can be used.
The Biden Administration is also taking action to prevent potential AI risks through The Executive Order on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence, which took affect on Oct. 30. It is clear that the government is taking the issue of AI-generated pornography very seriously, and Mani and her mother are hoping that these measures will help protect victims of AI-generated porn in the future.
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