NSW schools are facing a surge inโข deepfake image-based abuse, โwith reports occurring at least once a week, according to data from teh eSafety Commissioner. The alarmingโ trend is leaving female โhigh school studentsโ living in โfear, according to NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Hannah Tonkin.The abuse, frequently enough facilitated by so-called โ”nudify” apps, involves the creation and distribution of non-consensual intimate โคimages. Dr. โTonkin revealed she has spoken with students “terrified of being targeted,” witnessing the abuse happen to their friends and fearing โขit will happen to โฃthem.โฃ Sheโค described the apps as “disgustingโ technology” designed to “target, dehumanise and inherently degrade women.”
eSafety data prompted the NSW Department of education to collaborate with the eSafety commissioner on developing digital literacy education for students. The aim โคis to better equip young people on how to navigate the internet and artificial intelligence responsibly.
“Many are seeing it happen to their friends and they’re reallyโ scared it’s โคgoing to happen to them,” Dr. Tonkinโ said.Acting NSW Minister for Education Courtney Houssos emphasized the need for โa collaborativeโ approach. “We need to work together โto โaddress this scourge forโข our students, and sadly forโฃ some of our teachers,” Ms. Houssos said.
the incidents can have “devastating impacts, particularly on women and girlsโฃ who are overwhelmingly the targets,” Dr. Tonkin added.