Police warn Alberta parents of rise in AI-generated deepfakes: ALERT
With schools soon being dismissed for the summer, ALERT's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit is warning parents about an emerging online trend of AI images, videos and audio recordings in child sexual abuse investigations.
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Defined as 'deepfakes,' these videos, images and recordings look or sound completely realistic but have been altered using AI, according to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection.
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Faces can be super-imposed, expressions can be manipulated, and other elements can be combined to produce something new and to show someone doing or saying something that didn't occur, or wasn't said.
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As a member of the ICE's community engagement team, Const. Stephanie Bosch said a lot of the discussions held around AI deep fakes are being generated in schools and being used as a form of cyber bullying and harassment.
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'We're seeing situations where someone in the school has created a nude image of said child and now they're using that against the kid as a form of bullying or circulating it around the school,' Bosch said.
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Bosch said these deepfakes are being used to victimize children and youth, and while it hasn't reached a level yet where the ICE unit has seen cases where the children and youth are being extorted, it could just be a matter of time.
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'I can say the way that it's trending in the schools that at some point for sure I wouldn't be surprised if we do see one of these investigations reach (that level),' said Bosch.
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According to cybertip.ca, roughly 4,000 sexually explicit deepfake images and videos of children and youth were generated last year.
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According to Thorn a non-profit group that builds technology to defend children from sexual abuse, data shows that one in 10 youth say they know of cases where their friends and classmates have created 'deepfake nudes' of other kids using AI-generated tools.
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'With kids going on summer break and having a lot more time on their phones and devices, having these discussions now is important. It's a great opportunity to have conversations about nude images, but also AI-generated content,' said Bosch.
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'I want to be very clear about this. AI-generated nude images of a child still meet the definition of child pornography in the Criminal Code, so it's considered child abuse sexual material.'
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Calgary Herald
3 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Police warn Alberta parents of rise in AI-generated deepfakes: ALERT
With schools soon being dismissed for the summer, ALERT's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit is warning parents about an emerging online trend of AI images, videos and audio recordings in child sexual abuse investigations. Article content Defined as 'deepfakes,' these videos, images and recordings look or sound completely realistic but have been altered using AI, according to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. Article content Article content Article content Faces can be super-imposed, expressions can be manipulated, and other elements can be combined to produce something new and to show someone doing or saying something that didn't occur, or wasn't said. Article content Article content As a member of the ICE's community engagement team, Const. Stephanie Bosch said a lot of the discussions held around AI deep fakes are being generated in schools and being used as a form of cyber bullying and harassment. Article content 'We're seeing situations where someone in the school has created a nude image of said child and now they're using that against the kid as a form of bullying or circulating it around the school,' Bosch said. Article content Bosch said these deepfakes are being used to victimize children and youth, and while it hasn't reached a level yet where the ICE unit has seen cases where the children and youth are being extorted, it could just be a matter of time. Article content Article content 'I can say the way that it's trending in the schools that at some point for sure I wouldn't be surprised if we do see one of these investigations reach (that level),' said Bosch. Article content Article content According to roughly 4,000 sexually explicit deepfake images and videos of children and youth were generated last year. Article content According to Thorn a non-profit group that builds technology to defend children from sexual abuse, data shows that one in 10 youth say they know of cases where their friends and classmates have created 'deepfake nudes' of other kids using AI-generated tools. Article content 'With kids going on summer break and having a lot more time on their phones and devices, having these discussions now is important. It's a great opportunity to have conversations about nude images, but also AI-generated content,' said Bosch. Article content 'I want to be very clear about this. AI-generated nude images of a child still meet the definition of child pornography in the Criminal Code, so it's considered child abuse sexual material.'
Edmonton Journal
5 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
Police warn Alberta parents of rise in AI-generated deepfakes: ALERT
"I want to be very clear about this. AI generated nude images of a child still meet the definition of child pornography in the criminal code, so it's considered child abuse sexual material" Const. Stephanie Bosch said a lot of the discussions held around AI deep fakes are being generated in schools and being used as a form of cyber bullying and harassment. Photo by Lincoln Beddoe / Getty Images With schools soon being dismissed for the summer, ALERT's Internet Child Exploitation (ICE) unit is warning parents about an emerging online trend of AI images, videos and audio recordings in child sexual abuse investigations. Defined as 'deepfakes,' these videos, images and recordings look or sound completely realistic but have been altered using AI, according to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by David Staples, Keith Gerein and others, Oilers news from Cult of Hockey, Ask EJ Anything features, the Noon News Roundup and Under the Dome newsletters. Unlimited online access to Edmonton Journal and 15 news sites with one account. Edmonton Journal ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Faces can be super-imposed, expressions can be manipulated, and other elements can be combined to produce something new and to show someone doing or saying something that didn't occur, or wasn't said. As a member of the ICE's community engagement team, Const. Stephanie Bosch said a lot of the discussions held around AI deep fakes are being generated in schools and being used as a form of cyber bullying and harassment. 'We're seeing situations where someone in the school has created a nude image of said child and now they're using that against the kid as a form of bullying or circulating it around the school,' Bosch said. Bosch said these deepfakes are being used to victimize children and youth, and while it hasn't reached a level yet where the ICE unit has seen cases where the children and youth are being extorted, it could just be a matter of time. Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I can say the way that it's trending in the schools that at some point for sure I wouldn't be surprised if we do see one of these investigations reach (that level),' said Bosch. According to roughly 4,000 sexually explicit deepfake images and videos of children and youth were generated last year. According to Thorn a non-profit group that builds technology to defend children from sexual abuse, data shows that one in 10 youth say they know of cases where their friends and classmates have created 'deepfake nudes' of other kids using AI-generated tools. 'With kids going on summer break and having a lot more time on their phones and devices, having these discussions now is important. It's a great opportunity to have conversations about nude images, but also AI-generated content,' said Bosch. 'I want to be very clear about this. AI-generated nude images of a child still meet the definition of child pornography in the Criminal Code, so it's considered child abuse sexual material.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Bosch said it's important for parents and guardians of children and youth to speak with them about their online activities, and build trust between parents and kids to ensure they feel safe coming to their parents or another adult if they're ever subjected to deepfakes. 'It's important for kids to have that support network around them, so a trusted adult and someone in their life, so that if this has happened, whether it's an AI-generated image or an actual new image of themselves, they can go for help,' said Bosch. 'When we talk about AI-generated images, you can't always tell if it's real or not, so the impact on the kid is the same. When we talk about the impact of their mental health, the impacts of how they're perceived by their peers, it's still the same, and it's just as significant as a real photograph.' jhills@ Read More Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don't miss the news you need to know — add and to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters. You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post, and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun Cult of Hockey Cult of Hockey Cult of Hockey Politics Local News
CTV News
6 hours ago
- CTV News
Spanish-language journalist who documents immigration raids detained for ICE after protest arrest
Police tell Spanish-language reporter Mario Guevara to move back during a protest on ICE raids and deportation arrests on Chamblee Tucker Road in Atlanta on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (Arvin Temkar/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Savannah, Ga. — A Spanish-language journalist known for documenting immigration raids could face deportation proceedings after police arrested him on charges of obstructing officers and unlawful assembly as he was covering a weekend protest outside Atlanta. Mario Guevara, who fled El Salvador two decades ago and built a large following as an independent journalist covering immigration in the Atlanta area, was broadcasting live on social media Saturday at a protest in DeKalb County when officers arrested him. The video shows Guevara standing on a sidewalk with other journalists, filming police in riot gear walking through a parking lot, before he stepped into the street as officers approached. 'I'm a member of the media, officer,' Guevara tells a police officer right before he's arrested. The video shows Guevara wearing a bright red shirt under a protective vest with 'PRESS' printed across his chest. Guevara was jailed in DeKalb County, which includes parts of Atlanta, on charges of obstructing police, unlawful assembly and improperly entering a roadway. His attorney, Giovanni Diaz, said a judge granted Guevara bond on Monday, but he was kept in jail after Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed an extra 48-hour hold on him. 'He's not a legal permanent resident, but he has authorization to remain and work in the United States,' Diaz said in a phone interview, adding that Guevara has an adult son who is a U.S. citizen and an application pending for his green card. If ICE agents take custody of Guevara, Diaz said, his case would move to federal immigration court for potential deportation proceedings. Diaz insisted that Guevara has a strong case for being allowed to stay in the U.S. But he said that President Donald Trump's aggressive approach to immigration enforcement has added 'another level of anxiety.' A spokesperson for the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, Cynthia Williams, confirmed that Guevara was being held for immigration authorities. An ICE spokesperson in Atlanta did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. Guevara fled El Salvador with his family in 2004, saying he was beaten and repeatedly harassed because of his work as a political reporter for the newspaper La Prensa Grafica. They immigrated to Georgia, where Guevara worked as a reporter for Georgia's largest Spanish-language newspaper, Mundo Hispanico, before launching his own online news site, MGNews. Guevara's coverage of immigration raids, often documented live with help from a network of tipsters, has earned him a big social media following that exceeds 782,000 on Facebook alone. Like hundreds of communities across the U.S., DeKalb County saw crowds gather Saturday to protest the Trump administration. County officials said in a news release that police were dispatched to confront protestors marching toward an interstate onramp. Officers fired tear gas and made at least eight arrests. Guevara was photographed at that protest by news outlets including The Associated Press. The video he recorded leading up to his arrest shows him standing beside a shopping center a distance from police vehicles blocking a roadway. Guevara doesn't appear to be near any crowds or confrontations when police arrested him. Diaz said Guevara is well-known by local and federal authorities after his years of documenting immigration enforcement. 'He's been doing this type of work for 20-plus years, and now he gets detained,' Diaz said. 'It's concerning. He's a member of the press. And he doesn't seem to be committing any crime.' Russ Bynum, The Associated Press
