Schoolchildren are ‘abusing’ AI to create and send fake nude photos of other pupils, campaigners warn

• Education authorities urged to tackle trend that could ‘overwhelm’ schools

Schoolchildren are ‘abusing’ AI to create and share fake naked images of fellow pupils, web safety campaigners have warned.

Free online tools allow users to create sexually explicit AI-generated pictures in seconds simply by uploading a single photo.

The UK Safer Internet Centre said it is receiving reports from schools that students were using them against other pupils, with fears they could be used for ‘blackmail’. 

It urged education authorities to take immediate steps over fears the trend could soon ‘overwhelm’ schools.

Teachers in the UK are already having to warn children that sharing deepfake nude images is now illegal, with offenders facing up to two years in prison.

The UK Safer Internet Centre said it is receiving reports from schools that students were using them against other pupils, with fears they could be used for ‘blackmail’ (Stock Image)

Education authorities have been urged to take steps to tackle the problem which threatens to ‘overwhelm’ schools (Stock Image)

David Wright, director at UKSIC, said he was not surprised at reports from schools that children were abusing the AI tools. 

He added: ‘Although the case numbers are currently small, we need to see steps being taken now before schools become overwhelmed and the problem grows.’

Spanish police recently arrested seven pupils as young as 11 over claims they were trying to blackmail girls with AI-generated nudes of them. 

And a group of boys in the US were found to have shared AI-generated pornographic images of female classmates.

The Internet Watch Foundation, which is part of UKSIC, said the material is now so realistic even their trained analysts struggle to spot the fakes.

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