Description: Purported deepfake images of exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were reportedly mailed to neighbors and others in the UK and Australia in late 2025. The letters allegedly depicted altered sexual images and false advertisements portraying activists, including Carmen Lau, as sex workers. Police described the materials as malicious communications. The incidents were described by victims and officials as an escalation of transnational harassment and intimidation.
Editor Notes: Timeline of reported events: (1) On 11/11/2025, Carmen Lau was reportedly informed that sexually explicit letters containing purportedly AI-generated deepfake images had been delivered to her former neighbors in Maidenhead, UK. The letters were reported to police and investigated as malicious communications. (2) The incident became publicly reported by international media on 12/11/2025, amid broader concerns about transnational harassment of exiled Hong Kong activists. (3) The incident ID was created 12/12/2025.
Entities
View all entitiesAlleged: Unknown AI image generator technology developers developed an AI system deployed by Unknown actors , Unknown malicious actors , Unidentified harassment campaign and Suspected transnational repression actors, which harmed Carmen Lau , Ted Hui , Ted Hui's wife , Hong Kong pro-democracy activists , Family members of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists , Associates of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists , Neighbors of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists , Democracy , Epistemic integrity and National security and intelligence stakeholders.
Alleged implicated AI systems: Unknown AI image generator and Unknown deepfake technology
Incident Stats
Incident ID
1301
Report Count
2
Incident Date
2025-11-11
Editors
Daniel Atherton
Incident Reports
Reports Timeline
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Sexually explicit letters and “lonely housewife” posters about high-profile pro-democracy Hong Kong exiles have been sent to people in the UK and Australia, marking a ratcheting up in the transnational harassment faced by critics of the Chi…
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A Hong Kong activist living in exile in the UK said Thursday she was "shocked and terrified" after discovering her neighbours received letters containing AI-generated sexually explicit images of her.
Carmen Lau, 30, a pro-democracy activist…
Variants
A "variant" is an AI incident similar to a known case—it has the same causes, harms, and AI system. Instead of listing it separately, we group it under the first reported incident. Unlike other incidents, variants do not need to have been reported outside the AIID. Learn more from the research paper.
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