CASCADE, Iowa (KCRG) – Parents at Cascade High School say their children are upset and humiliated after students created fake nude images of them using artificial intelligence.
According to the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and Cascade Police Department, students used AI apps to generate fake nude photos of several female students. It’s unknown how many images were generated and how many victims there were.
And considering AI generated imagery is still so new, law enforcement is still figuring out how to handle it.
“Between this and scams and everything else, we’re entering into a whole new world of cyber illicit activity.” said Joe Kennedy, the Dubuque County Sheriff.
Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law that makes creating AI-generated sexual content of minors a crime last year.
And depending on the photos, Kennedy says these types of images can be considered child pornography. But holding those responsible can be difficult.
“These are very time-consuming cases because we have to send out preservation letters for data, we have to send out subpoenas for data, we have to get search warrants for the phones or computers or whatever they’re using.” he said.
In a statement from the Western Dubuque Community School District, Superintendent Dan Butler says the school has taken disciplinary action against the perpetrators “in accordance with the school’s policies.” The full statement is below.
TV9 spoke with several parents of the victims on the phone, and while none of them wanted to go on camera to protect their children’s privacy, many said they’re angry, confused, and disappointed.
That’s why they created a petition to update the school’s policies to better support students in incidents like these, which they plan to share with the school board.
And while Kennedy says his team and the Cascade Police Department are investigating the incident fully, he imagines the issue will continue.
“Let’s face it: this is going to be a thing now.” he said. “I mean, I hate to say that but it’s going to be a thing. Once these kids or other kids find out about this, this is going to be a thing that we are going to deal with forever.”
EDITOR’S NOTE: The original version of this story said the law Gov. Reynolds’ signed would not go into effect until July 1st, 2025. This is incorrect, as the law went into effect July 1st, 2024. The story has been updated accordingly.
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