Male students at Westfield High School in New Jersey used AI-powered websites to create fake nude images of female classmates and shared them in group chats, affecting over 30 girls and prompting police investigation.
In October 2023, students at Westfield High School in New Jersey discovered that male classmates had used artificial intelligence-powered websites to create pornographic deepfake images of female students using their photos found online. The incident occurred over the summer but came to light on October 20, 2023, when girls noticed sophomore boys acting suspiciously and one boy eventually revealed what had happened. At least one male student used an AI tool to generate fake nude images by combining female students' faces with pornographic content, then shared these images with other boys in group chats. More than 30 female students were reportedly victimized, including 14-year-old Francesca Mani whose mother filed a police report. Principal Mary Asfendis confirmed the incident in an email to parents, stating she believed the images had been deleted and were no longer circulating. The school conducted an investigation with assistance from the Westfield Police Department, and counseling was provided to affected students. Four families filed police reports, though investigators reportedly had not seen the actual images. The incident has prompted calls for stronger legislation around AI-generated non-consensual pornography, as New Jersey currently lacks specific laws criminalizing such content.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed