Deepfake Coverup

A small school in Pennsylvania shut down classes on Monday after parents accused leaders of covering up an AI nudity scandal among their students.

As Ars Technica reportsthe parents forced members of the school’s management to either resign or face a lawsuit, which sought criminal penalties.

Days later, the Lancaster Country Day School Board of Directors announced that it had decided to “part ways” with its head of school Matt Micciche, as local store Lancaster online reported last week. The chairman of the board, Angela Ang-Alhadeff, also resigned.

Earlier this month, law enforcement identified nearly 50 victims after a fellow student used AI to create nude photos of his female classmates last year.

Micciche is said to have known about the incident since at least November 2023 after receiving an anonymous tip. The perpetrator’s phone was seized by law enforcement agencies in August this year but he has not been charged, according to Lancaster online.

It’s the latest in a string of similar incidents across the country in recent years, a terrifying new reality for teenagers. AI fakes have quickly become the new face of bullying, made possible by the rise of easy-to-use smartphone apps that can generate photo-realistic nudes in an instant.

Deprived of power

Neither the students nor their parents were satisfied with the school board’s handling of the situation. Earlier this month, hundreds of high school students walked out in protest.

“Many feel strongly that we have not been as open and communicative as we could, which added to their pain,” Micciche wrote in a statement at the time. “We will work with our students to find a path forward that promotes healing and will be guided by what we hear from them.”

But Micciche’s milquetoast comments fell on deaf ears. Even after his and Ang-Alhadeff’s departure, parents told Lancaster online on Monday that they would still pursue charges against the school.

That same day, the school announced that classes had been canceled, according to the report.

Beyond this one story, US lawmakers are actively debating how to protect children from the spread of AI nudes.

But like Ars points out that their efforts have not yet become real rules, despite many incidents. In May, for example, a software engineer was arrested after being accused of babysitting use AI-generated material for child sexual abuse.

And it’s not just the US. The South Korean government is facing a similar crisis with deeply fake nude photos, roll out tougher penalties and rules for offenders earlier this month.

More about deepfakes: Russian hackers use fake AI ‘Nudify’ sites to steal data