Ben Pawlowski
AN ALARMING new survey carried out by charity Save the Children has shed light on the challenges posed by modern technology, with one in five young people in Spain saying fake nude images of them have been created using generative AI (artificial intelligence).
Deepfakes are videos where a person’s face or body has been digitally altered so that they appear to be someone else, often leading to victims having their faces superimposed onto nude bodies without their consent.
According to the study, based on a survey of over one thousand young people aged 18-21, almost all young people have also experienced some form of online sexual abuse before turning 18.
The shocking figures reveal how technology is increasingly used as a tool for abuse, especially against girls.
In a stark warning, the charity’s director of influence and territorial development, Catalina Perazzo, said the statistics barely scratch the surface of the true scale of abuse carried out online.
“These figures represent only the tip of the iceberg, as most cases go unreported due to under-reporting and difficulties in detecting them, especially in the digital environment,” she said.
According to the report, carried out in collaboration with the European Digital Transition Partnership, a significant proportion of young people reported being pressured into sending intimate images, sometimes with direct threats or blackmail.
The charity also warned that these forms of abuse are not always visible.
It also warned that many young people believe sending sexual content online is normal.
Almost half of the young people surveyed said they did not perceive any risk in sharing intimate images online, with a small minority recognising the dangers.
Even when images are shared consensually, the risks remain high as, once an image is shared, control over where it is then sent disappears.
Images could be used for blackmail or even as sexual abuse for adults.
In order to protect young people from sexual abuse online, Save the Children is calling on the Spanish government to enact stricter laws regarding online safety, and provide improved education for youngsters regarding dangers online.
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