WESTFIELD, NJ — A group of Westfield High School students are the subject of an ongoing investigation after allegations surfaced of them using artificial intelligence to create and distribute pornographic images depicting peers. The principal of Westfield High School has notified parents about the inquiry and the consequent concerns among students.
The principal’s email highlighted the immediate steps taken to address the issue, including the deletion of the images in question and the provision of counseling services for affected students. The school’s Resource Officer and local police have been alerted and are involved in the investigation, which is set to conclude before the weekend.
““I am writing to make you aware of a situation that resulted in widespread misinformation and resulted in significant worry and concern amongst the student body of Westfield High School. Earlier today, students brought to our attention that some of our students had used Artificial Intelligence to create pornographic images from original photos. There was a great deal of concern about who had images created of them and if they were shared. At this time, we believe that any created images have been deleted and are not being circulated,” the letter read. “This is a very serious incident. We are continuing to investigate and will inform individuals and families of students involved once the investigation is complete. This will happen before the weekend. We made counseling available for all affected students and encouraged them to return to class when they felt able to do so. Additionally, our School Resource Officer and the Westfield PD have been made aware of our investigation. If a parent/guardian thinks their child is a victim of a criminal act in relation to this incident please report the matter to Westfield Police.”
Reports indicate that the images were produced by manipulating social media photos using AI technology to generate explicit content, commonly called deep fakes. This incident at Westfield High School adds to the growing discourse on the misuse of rapidly advancing AI technology and the potential harm it can inflict.