Summarised by Centrist
New Zealand schools face a rise of pornographic deepfakes targeting students, especially young females. These AI-generated images, which appear realistic but are entirely fabricated, are used as a form of online bullying.
Secondary Principals Association President Vaughan Couillault spoke about the severe impact on students’ mental health: “They look real… and this brings a sense of shame and embarrassment to the victim.” According to Couillault, though not yet at epidemic levels, cases are rising rapidly.
Jo Robertson, a sex therapist and advocate for safer digital spaces, describes deepfake porn as a type of image-based sexual abuse that’s often hidden. She points out that many girls keep their experiences secret, hesitant to involve the police or draw more attention. Robertson compares deepfake trauma to in-person abuse, saying it’s “no less real or less painful” because it occurs online, often lingering over the victim for years.
Addressing the legal ambiguity, Robertson explains that New Zealand’s Harmful Digital Communications Act struggles to classify deepfake images. The act was updated in 2022 to include “intimate visual recordings” without consent, but it leaves room for interpretation, potentially letting victims fall through the cracks. This grey area in the law poses challenges in providing support and protection for students affected by deepfakes.
