AI users are making pornographic deepfakes to sextort teens
Teen Football Player’s Suicide Highlights Dangers of Online Predators and Sextortion
In a tragic turn of events, a teenage football player from Michigan, Jordan DeMay, took his own life after falling victim to online predators. Cybersecurity experts are now issuing warnings to both teenagers and parents about the increasing dangers of sharing suggestive images with strangers online. With the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), scammers worldwide now have easy access to tools such as deepfakes and AI-generated pornography, leading to an alarming rise in sextortion cases.
Jordan DeMay, aged 17, was deceived by Nigerian scammers who hacked into a girl’s Instagram account. Pretending to be a girl interested in DeMay, they tricked him into sending compromising photos of himself. The scammers then demanded a $1,000 ransom, threatening to send the explicit images to DeMay’s friends and family if he didn’t comply. Devastated, DeMay felt that he had no way out but to end his own life.
DeMay’s tragic story is not isolated. Last year, more than a dozen suicides were linked to sextortion cases, with the FBI reporting 3,000 victims, primarily young men and boys. Recognizing the potential for even greater harm, the FBI issued a warning on June 5, highlighting the use of deepfakes and face-generating programs in sextortion scams. These technological developments have made it easier for scammers to manipulate explicit content, leading to an increase in victims reporting the use of fake images or videos.
Artificial intelligence has become so advanced that even individuals with no specialized training can create convincing fake content on a large scale. According to Lisa Palmer, chief AI strategist for AI Leaders, the power and accessibility of AI have raised the need for greater vigilance in protecting teens from these threats.
To address this growing issue, experts are recommending several steps that parents can take to safeguard their children:
1. Maximize privacy settings: It is crucial to set strict privacy settings on social media platforms to ensure that personal content is visible only to trusted individuals within a closed network. Any content visible to the public can be vulnerable to manipulation by scammers.
2. Read social media terms and conditions: Many social media apps share user data, personal information, and sometimes even biometrics with third parties. Parents should take the time to read through these agreements to understand what risks they may be exposing themselves or their children to. AI tools can be used to analyze and summarize these agreements.
3. Have honest conversations: Educating teenagers about the risks of sharing compromising images and engaging in potentially dangerous online interactions is essential. While technological solutions can offer some protection, parental guidance and awareness remain the most effective ways to prevent harm. Encouraging open communication between parents and children is crucial, ensuring that teenagers feel comfortable seeking help if they become victims of sextortion.
Online predators and sextortion scams pose a real and dangerous threat to teenagers. It is vital for parents, educators, and online service providers to work together to create a safer digital environment for young people.
FAQs:
Q: What is sextortion?
A: Sextortion refers to the act of blackmailing individuals after they have shared compromising photos, texts, or information with someone who turns out to be a scammer. These scammers threaten to share the explicit content with the victims’ friends and family unless they comply with their demands.
Q: How many victims are there?
A: According to the FBI, there were 3,000 sextortion victims recorded last year, mainly young men and boys.
Q: What are deepfakes?
A: Deepfakes are manipulated multimedia content, such as images or videos, created using artificial intelligence. They are so realistic that they are often difficult to distinguish from genuine content.
Q: How can parents protect their children?
A: Parents can take steps such as maximizing privacy settings on social media platforms, reading terms and conditions thoroughly, and having honest conversations with their children about the risks involved in online interactions. However, it is important to remember that no solution is foolproof, and open communication between parents and children is crucial in addressing such issues.
Q: What should teens do if they are victims of sextortion?
A: It is vital for teens to know that they can and should reach out to their parents or trusted adults if they become victims of sextortion. There are resources available to help them navigate through these difficult situations safely.
The Growing Concern: Pornographic Deepfakes Created by AI Pose a Sextortion Threat to Teens
Title: Tragic Suicide Sheds Light on Growing Threat of Sextortion and Deepfakes
In a heartbreaking incident, a teenage football player from Michigan took his own life after falling victim to online predators in a sextortion scam. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the ever-increasing dangers that teens face when sharing suggestive images with strangers. Cybersecurity experts are urging parents and young adults to be vigilant as unscrupulous operators worldwide now have unrestricted access to advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology, which enables them to create sophisticated deepfakes and AI-generated pornography with just a few clicks of a mouse.
Seventeen-year-old Jordan DeMay unknowingly fell into the clutches of Nigerian scammers who hacked into the social media account of a girl he believed to be interested in him. The scammers coerced DeMay into sending compromising photos through Instagram and then demanded a $1,000 ransom, threatening to expose the images to his friends and family. Tragically, DeMay took his own life as a result.
DeMay’s case is not an isolated incident. Last year alone, more than a dozen suicides were provoked by similar sextortion scams, which disproportionately affect young men and boys, according to the FBI. On June 5, the bureau issued a warning about the rising threat of deepfakes and face-generating programs, driven by technological advancements in AI. The FBI revealed that they have been receiving reports from victims, including minors, whose images or videos were manipulated into explicit content. The rising trend of sextortion victims reporting the use of fake images or videos further highlights the alarming power of AI in enabling these crimes.
The chief AI strategist for consulting firm AI Leaders, Lisa Palmer, emphasized that AI technology has become so advanced that anyone can create convincing fake content without advanced training. This highlights the urgency for parents to take steps to protect their children from this growing threat.
Experts recommend several measures to safeguard young individuals from falling victim to sextortion. Firstly, it is crucial to maximize privacy settings on social media platforms and ensure that personal content is only visible to trusted connections. Secondly, it is vital to read through the terms and conditions of social media apps thoroughly. These agreements often grant access to personal information, usage data, and sometimes even biometrics to third parties. Using AI tools to analyze the risks outlined in these agreements can be beneficial.
However, discouraging risky behavior and fostering open conversations with teenagers remain the most effective preventive measures. Experts emphasize that educating young individuals about the life-altering risks associated with sharing explicit content online is essential. Although various technologies aim to control and monitor online activities, no solution is foolproof. It is crucial for parents to create an environment where their children feel comfortable coming to them if they become victims of sextortion. Privacy expert Frank Ahearn urges parents to emphasize the importance of reaching out for support in such situations and assuring their children that they are loved and listened to.
As the threat of sextortion and deepfakes continues to grow, it is imperative for society to address this issue comprehensively and instigate informed discussions to protect vulnerable young individuals from the devastating consequences of online exploitation.