Disney star Kaylin Hayman targeted in AI-generated sexual abuse images
Disney Channel star, Kaylin Hayman, recently disclosed a distressing incident to Sky News. The 16-year-old actor was left distraught after learning that her face had been superimposed onto explicit adult images using artificial intelligence (AI). The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informed Hayman about the criminal act. She is best known for her role in the Disney Channel TV series Just Roll With It.
'I broke down in tears...'
Upon learning about the explicit images, Hayman was deeply affected. "I broke down in tears when I heard," she confessed. The child actor described the incident as a severe invasion of her privacy and expressed disbelief that an unknown individual could exploit her image in such a manner. She further stated, "My innocence was just stripped away from me in that moment."
AI-generated child abuse images: A growing concern
Hayman's ordeal is not an isolated case. The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in the US reported 4,700 instances of AI-generated child sex abuse images or videos last year. These computer-simulated images are so realistic that law enforcement experts spend countless hours distinguishing them from real-life victims.
AI-produced material: Lifelike and legally challenging
Terry Dobrosky, a cyber crimes specialist in Ventura County, California, described the AI-produced material to Sky News as "so lifelike it's disturbing." Dobrosky expressed concern about the potential legal implications of these images. He stated that their realism could lead to defendants claiming ignorance of the victim's realness in court, thereby undermining existing laws.
AI misuse not limited to dark web, affects schools too
The creation and consumption of these images are not limited to the dark web. There have been instances where children used AI to superimpose classmates' faces onto nude bodies using photos from social media. In one case at a Beverly Hills school, five students aged 13 and 14 were expelled, prompting a police investigation after they engaged in such activities.
Legal loopholes allow AI-generated child abuse images
Despite the growing issue, creating child sex abuse images using AI is not currently a crime in some American states, including California. Rikole Kelly, deputy district attorney for Ventura County, is advocating for a new law to address this problem. Kelly expressed concern about the accessibility of this technology and its potential to cause "irreparable damage."
