AI-generated fake nudes: KZN Parents Association issues alert to pupils, parents

The Parents Association of KwaZulu-Natal says the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) to create fake explicit images is likely to rise among school children, warning that learners and their parents, could face serious criminal and civil consequences.

Chairperson Vee Gani said while the association has not yet received a formal complaint involving AI-generated pornographic images in KZN schools, the rapid spread of the technology makes incidents inevitable.

“There are going to be cases,” Gani said. “This technology is at our fingertips, and some people do not use it responsibly. It results in trying to defame people and post things that are really, really offensive.”

His comments come amid growing national concern over learners allegedly using AI tools to generate fake nude images of their peers from innocent social media photographs and sharing them online.

In a recent video, Emma Sadleir from The Digital Law Company, said she had received numerous enquiries regarding the circulation of about fake pornographic images among learners.

She said they have received frantic enquiries from parents, from kids, from principals to say that AI is being used in nefarious ways at the school.

She described an incident where children in school had created fake pornographic pictures of girls using images pulled from social media and AI technology.

Sadleir warned that this is a serious offence and criminal capacity in South Africa starts at the age of 14 years.

Gani also stressed that the legal position in South Africa is clear when it comes to sexually explicit images of minors.

“You can’t send something that is genuine, that’s already a violation,” he said. “And then where you create images, that shows intent. When it shows intent, the violation becomes much more serious.”

He warned that both criminal and civil consequences may follow including for parents.

“If you’re a child, your parents can be held accountable for your actions,” he said. “There can be criminal charges, and there can also be civil litigation for damages. It can get very expensive. It can get very messy, especially for the culprits.”

Gani rejected the idea that learners are unaware of the harm caused by such actions.

“There’s no way you can say you don’t know that’s wrong. Children know that’s wrong,” he said. “Some children tend to extract joy from creating or looking at content that defames or hurts another child. And that’s not on.”

He said the primary solution lies in proactive education by schools, governing bodies, education departments, and parents.

“The only thing that schools can do repeatedly is to conscientise, to develop and to educate our children,” he said. “They need to tell them what the consequences of their actions are, that there will be criminal charges, that it can impact their chances of a job, university, anything in the future.”

Gani added that learners must be made aware that digital content can be traced.

“We’re now in the digital age of AI. There are mechanisms in which you can trace the origin of where messages have come from,” he said. “If you’ve been the originator of something defamatory or pornographic, you can be held criminally and civilly liable.”

While AI can be used positively, he said, clear guidance is needed to prevent abuse.

“AI is here now. It can be used for good. But if it’s used for bad especially where images of children are spread without permission, the repercussions are severe.”

The Parents Association is urging schools and parents to prioritise awareness and digital responsibility to prevent further harm.

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