Associated Incidents
A teenage boy at a south-western Sydney high school has been reported to police after allegedly using artificial intelligence platforms to create pornography featuring other students.
The student is alleged to have created explicit deepfake images of female students and circulated them using fake social media accounts.
NSW police said in a statement that officers attached to Campbelltown city police area command began an investigation on 6 January after reports of inappropriate images being produced and distributed online.
"NSW Police are working with the eSafety Commissioner and the Department of Education," NSW police said. "The investigation is ongoing."
A New South Wales Department of Education spokesperson said on Thursday that the department was working closely with NSW police to assist the investigation.
"We do not tolerate such behaviour and will take the appropriate action," the spokesperson said.
"Our highest priority is to ensure our students feel safe and any decision about this student's future involvement in the school will be based on that. We are helping affected students with appropriate wellbeing support and will do so as long as required."
The NSW education minister, Prue Car, told media on Thursday that the incident was "abhorrent and will not be tolerated".
"We will leave that investigation of possible criminality to the police," Car said.
"But there will be disciplinary action for the student. Credit to the deputy principal and the leadership at this particular school for acting on this straight away. Our priority is making sure that all the affected students are OK and that they are OK to return [to school] on day one, term one," she said.
The incident had also been referred to the eSafety commissioner.
The student and school have not been identified publicly in order to protect the privacy of the students affected by the alleged behaviour.