She was careful online, but this Toronto teen was still targeted with deepfake porn

In today’s digital age, one of the worst nightmares for anyone, especially minors, is to discover a nude image of themselves circulating on the internet. This was the harrowing reality for Ruby, a 16-year-old from Toronto, who found herself in a distressing situation that was completely out of her control.

Ruby, whose last name is not disclosed for privacy reasons, fell victim to a disturbing trend known as sexually explicit deepfakes of minors. Deepfakes are manipulated images or videos created using artificial intelligence to appear authentic and are increasingly difficult to differentiate from genuine content.

Last year, Ruby received a series of messages alerting her to the existence of compromising images of herself online. Curious and concerned, she clicked on a link only to discover a topless deepfake of herself. The original photo, taken when she was just 13 years old and fully clothed, had been maliciously altered without her consent.

Despite being cautious about her online presence and posting anonymously, Ruby found herself at the mercy of an unknown perpetrator. Feeling violated and enraged, she reached out to Cybertip.ca, a national hotline for reporting sexually explicit images of minors. Shockingly, the organization processed over 4,000 cases of sexually explicit deepfakes within a year of tracking such incidents.

Lindsay Lobb, the operations director of support services at the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, emphasized the alarming rise of deepfakes targeting minors for extortion, harassment, and bullying. The accessibility of websites and apps that facilitate the creation of such content has exacerbated the issue, making it easier for perpetrators to exploit vulnerable individuals.

The proliferation of sexually explicit deepfakes has raised concerns about the blurred lines between reality and deception. Brandon Laur, an online safety educator, warned about the rapid advancements in deepfake technology, making it increasingly challenging to discern authentic content from manipulated material. This poses a significant challenge for parents and authorities tasked with protecting minors from such digital threats.

Legal recourse for victims of deepfake incidents can be complex and challenging, as Molly Reynolds, a lawyer at Tory’s LLP in Toronto, highlighted. Deepfakes can be produced for various malicious purposes, ranging from revenge by ex-partners to threats by colleagues or strangers across international borders. Despite the legal hurdles, victims can pursue takedown requests and explore civil or criminal avenues to address harassment and seek justice.

In Ruby’s case, law enforcement determined that the deepfake image was not disseminated online but instead used in an elaborate phishing scheme to compromise her iCloud account. Despite avoiding public exposure, Ruby remains traumatized by the incident and advocates for greater awareness of the risks associated with online privacy and security.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Ruby emphasizes the importance of understanding the permanence of online content and the need for heightened vigilance in safeguarding personal information. The prevalence of deepfakes serves as a stark reminder of the ever-present dangers lurking in cyberspace, underscoring the critical need for proactive measures to protect individuals, especially minors, from digital exploitation.