Student creates inappropriate AI images
The teenager used existing social media posts of female students from years 7 to 10 to create and distribute the fake images.
An earlier version of this story stated the student was expelled from the college. This was incorrect and The AJN apologises for the error.
A student has left Melbourne’s Mount Scopus Memorial College after using artificial intelligence to create inappropriate images of female students.
The teenager used existing social media posts of female students from years 7 to 10 to create and distribute the fake images.
Mount Scopus responded swiftly to the discovery. It was agreed the student would depart the school, which also issued “significant consequences” to other students involved in distributing the images.
Principal Dan Sztrajt, in a letter to parents, described the situation as extremely serious and expressed deep dismay at the incident.
He told The AJN, “The creation of this type of explicit material is not only a crime and a significant breach of the most serious school policies, but more importantly, it can serve as a significant means to harm and intimidate children.”
The school’s immediate response included notifying the police and the child protection service of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and following their guidance. Support was also given to the impacted students and families.
Sztrajt said with the advent of image-based AI software, it has become too easy for young people, with no technical skills and a limited understanding of real consequences for these actions, to produce digitally doctored images that can look real and cause very real harm.
He said AI generated explicit images are a problem for the entire community, and no one parent or school alone has the ability to prevent easy access to such powerful tools.
“Traditional ways parents have used to protect children, by teaching them to limit the type of images they share on social media, isn’t enough anymore because of the existence of technology that circumvents protections,” he said.
Sztrajt believes we are seeing the number of these incidents grow rapidly across Australia and has called for coordinated efforts to combat this challenge.
In response to the incident, Mount Scopus is intensifying its efforts to educate students on e-safety and respectful relationships.
Sztrajt’s letter to parents encouraged families to engage in conversations about responsible technology use and respect in both physical and digital environments.
The college is offering ongoing support through its Student Services department and has committed to further discussions on these critical topics across all upper primary and secondary year levels.
A number of other Jewish schools have already reached out to Mount Scopus Memorial College with messages of support.
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