Students at a Beverly Hills Middle School Allegedly Created and Shared Deepfake Nudes of Their Classmates

Students at Beverly Vista Middle School in Beverly Hills, California used artificial intelligence technology to create fake nude photos of their classmates. School officials became aware of the 'AI-generated nude photos' last week, with the superintendent confirming the photos included students' faces superimposed onto nude bodies. The Beverly Hills Police Department responded to a call from the school district and took a report, with a noncriminal investigation underway involving juveniles. The student perpetrators have been removed from school pending investigation results, and could face suspension to expulsion depending on their level of involvement in creating and disseminating the images. The incident follows similar cases at high schools around the world where students created AI-generated nude photos of female classmates. California has a 2020 law allowing victims of nonconsensual sexually explicit deepfakes to sue for up to $150,000 in damages, but legal experts note the laws have not always been applied in cases involving underage perpetrators and victims. The technology to create fake nude images has become increasingly sophisticated and accessible, with consumer apps allowing users to swap faces into pornographic content.