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Kuwait Times
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Kuwait Times
HK opens probe into AI-generated porn scandal at university
HONG KONG: People cross a street in Western district of Hong Kong on July 15, 2025. -- AFP HONG KONG: Hong Kong's privacy watchdog said Tuesday it has launched a criminal investigation into an AI-generated porn scandal at the city's oldest university, after a student was accused of creating lewd images of his female classmates and teachers. Three people alleged over the weekend that a University of Hong Kong (HKU) law student fabricated pornographic images of at least 20 women using artificial intelligence, in what is the first high-profile case of its kind in the Chinese financial hub. The university sparked outrage over a perceived lenient punishment after it said Saturday it had only sent a warning letter to the student and demanded he apologize. But Hong Kong's Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said Tuesday that disclosing someone else's personal data without consent, and with an intent to cause harm, could be an offence. The watchdog 'has begun a criminal investigation into the incident and has no further comment at this stage', it said, without mentioning the student. The accusers said in a statement Saturday that Hong Kong law only criminalizes the distribution of 'intimate images', including those created with AI, but not the generation of them. There is no allegation so far that the student spread the deepfake images, and so 'victims are unable to seek punishment... through Hong Kong's criminal justice system', they wrote. The accusers said a friend discovered the images on the student's laptop. Experts warn the alleged use of AI in the scandal may be the tip of a 'very large iceberg' surrounding non-consensual imagery. 'The HKU case shows clearly that anyone could be a perpetrator, no space is 100 percent safe,' Annie Chan, a former associate professor at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, told AFP. Women's rights advocates said Hong Kong was 'lagging behind' in terms of legal protections. 'Some people who seek our help feel wronged, because they never took those photos,' said Doris Chong, executive director at the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, referring to cases at the group's crisis centre. 'The AI generations are so life-like that their circulation would be very upsetting.' Asked about the case at a Tuesday press briefing, Hong Kong leader John Lee said most of the city's laws 'are applicable to activities on the internet'. HKU said on Saturday it will review the case and take further action if appropriate. – AFP
The Star
20 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Hong Kong opens probe into AI-generated porn scandal at university
HONG KONG: Hong Kong's privacy watchdog said Tuesday (July 15) it has launched a criminal investigation into an AI-generated porn scandal at the city's oldest university, after a student was accused of creating lewd images of his female classmates and teachers. Three people alleged over the weekend that a University of Hong Kong (HKU) law student fabricated pornographic images of at least 20 women using artificial intelligence, in what is the first high-profile case of its kind in the Chinese financial hub. The university sparked outrage over a perceived lenient punishment after it said Saturday it had only sent a warning letter to the student and demanded he apologise. But Hong Kong's Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said Tuesday that disclosing someone else's personal data without consent, and with an intent to cause harm, could be an offence. The watchdog "has begun a criminal investigation into the incident and has no further comment at this stage", it said, without mentioning the student. The accusers said in a statement Saturday that Hong Kong law only criminalises the distribution of "intimate images", including those created with AI, but not the generation of them. There is no allegation so far that the student spread the deepfake images, and so "victims are unable to seek punishment... through Hong Kong's criminal justice system", they wrote. The accusers said a friend discovered the images on the student's laptop. Experts warn the alleged use of AI in the scandal may be the tip of a "very large iceberg" surrounding non-consensual imagery. "The HKU case shows clearly that anyone could be a perpetrator, no space is 100 percent safe," Annie Chan, a former associate professor at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, told AFP. Women's rights advocates said Hong Kong was "lagging behind" in terms of legal protections. "Some people who seek our help feel wronged, because they never took those photos," said Doris Chong, executive director at the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, referring to cases at the group's crisis centre. "The AI generations are so life-like that their circulation would be very upsetting." Asked about the case at a Tuesday press briefing, Hong Kong leader John Lee said most of the city's laws "are applicable to activities on the internet". HKU said on Saturday it will review the case and take further action if appropriate. hol/jfx
The Citizen
21 hours ago
- The Citizen
Privacy watchdog probes AI porn case at Hong Kong university
A Hong Kong law student allegedly fabricated pornographic images of at least 20 women using AI. Hong Kong's privacy watchdog said Tuesday it has launched a criminal investigation into an AI-generated porn scandal at the city's oldest university, after a student was accused of creating lewd images of his female classmates and teachers. Three people alleged over the weekend that a University of Hong Kong (HKU) law student fabricated pornographic images of at least 20 women using artificial intelligence, in what is the first high-profile case of its kind in the Chinese financial hub. University response sparks public outrage The university sparked outrage over a perceived lenient punishment after it said Saturday it had only sent a warning letter to the student and demanded he apologise. But Hong Kong's Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said Tuesday that disclosing someone else's personal data without consent, and with an intent to cause harm, could be an offence. The watchdog 'has begun a criminal investigation into the incident and has no further comment at this stage', it said, without mentioning the student. ALSO READ: Pope Leo warns AI could disrupt young minds' grip on reality Legal loopholes leave victims without recourse The accusers said in a statement Saturday that Hong Kong law only criminalises the distribution of 'intimate images', including those created with AI, but not the generation of them. There is no allegation so far that the student spread the deepfake images, and so 'victims are unable to seek punishment… through Hong Kong's criminal justice system', they wrote. The accusers said a friend discovered the images on the student's laptop. Experts warn of a broader emerging threat Experts warn the alleged use of AI in the scandal may be the tip of a 'very large iceberg' surrounding non-consensual imagery. 'The HKU case shows clearly that anyone could be a perpetrator, no space is 100 percent safe,' Annie Chan, a former associate professor at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, told AFP. ALSO READ: Man who created fake explicit images of Ramaphosa and Cele sentenced to 5 years Advocates call for urgent legal reform Women's rights advocates said Hong Kong was 'lagging behind' in terms of legal protections. 'Some people who seek our help feel wronged, because they never took those photos,' said Doris Chong, executive director at the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, referring to cases at the group's crisis centre. 'The AI generations are so life-like that their circulation would be very upsetting.' Asked about the case at a Tuesday press briefing, Hong Kong leader John Lee said most of the city's laws 'are applicable to activities on the internet'. HKU said on Saturday it will review the case and take further action if appropriate. NOW READ: Scary new deepfake app can turn you into a pornstar without your consent
GMA Network
a day ago
- Politics
- GMA Network
Hong Kong opens probe into AI-generated porn scandal at university
HONG KONG — Hong Kong's privacy watchdog said Tuesday it has launched a criminal investigation into an AI-generated porn scandal at the city's oldest university, after a student was accused of creating lewd images of his female classmates and teachers. Three people alleged over the weekend that a University of Hong Kong (HKU) law student fabricated pornographic images of at least 20 women using artificial intelligence, in what is the first high-profile case of its kind in the Chinese financial hub. The university sparked outrage over a perceived lenient punishment after it said Saturday it had only sent a warning letter to the student and demanded he apologize. But Hong Kong's Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data said Tuesday that disclosing someone else's personal data without consent, and with an intent to cause harm, could be an offence. The watchdog "has begun a criminal investigation into the incident and has no further comment at this stage", it said, without mentioning the student. The accusers said in a statement Saturday that Hong Kong law only criminalizes the distribution of "intimate images," including those created with AI, but not the generation of them. There is no allegation so far that the student spread the deepfake images, and so "victims are unable to seek punishment... through Hong Kong's criminal justice system," they wrote. The accusers said a friend discovered the images on the student's laptop. Experts warn the alleged use of AI in the scandal may be the tip of a "very large iceberg" surrounding non-consensual imagery. "The HKU case shows clearly that anyone could be a perpetrator, no space is 100 percent safe," Annie Chan, a former associate professor at Hong Kong's Lingnan University, told AFP. Women's rights advocates said Hong Kong was "lagging behind" in terms of legal protections. "Some people who seek our help feel wronged, because they never took those photos," said Doris Chong, executive director at the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, referring to cases at the group's crisis center. "The AI generations are so life-like that their circulation would be very upsetting." Asked about the case at a Tuesday press briefing, Hong Kong leader John Lee said most of the city's laws "are applicable to activities on the internet." HKU said on Saturday it will review the case and take further action if appropriate. — Agence France-Presse
Business Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
China's economic rescue plan stalled by wariness over tariffs
[NEW YORK] China is counting on its 1.4 billion consumers to help cushion the blow from US President Donald Trump's tariffs. But that strategy is running into a wall of uncertainty, with millions of factory jobs at risk. Beijing has made expanding consumption a key pillar of its policy agenda this year, rolling out a 30-point action plan that includes subsidies for home goods, financial aid for childcare and improved access to paid leave. But on the ground, business owners, office workers and migrant labourers are tightening their belts, worried about job security and future income. Many say they are holding off on non-essential purchases and saving more for what they fear could be harder times ahead. 'I won't be willing to spend if the US continues to impose tariffs,' said Annie Chan, a saleswoman at a porcelain company in Guangdong, speaking from her booth at last month's Canton Fair. 'I'd rather save money in case I need it when things get worse.' The hesitation reflects a deeper problem for Chinese policymakers. Unless they can shore up confidence in jobs and wages, the consumer may not be able to carry the weight of China's economic shift away from exports, making it harder for Beijing to hit its growth target of around 5 per cent this year without more aggressive support. Trump has imposed 145 per cent tariffs on Chinese exports and Beijing has responded with its own 125 per cent duties on US goods. Tariffs at those levels threaten to severely disrupt trade between the world's two biggest economies. The fallout is already starting to show, with China's factory activity slipping into its sharpest contraction since December 2023 last month. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Gordon Gao, who runs a bamboo crafts business in Anhui province, said US orders – once a third of his revenue – have dried up completely since the tariffs kicked in. To cope, he stopped replacing departing staff and trimmed employee bonuses. 'I may have to keep shrinking and cut more jobs,' he said. Economists warn that the tariff shock could ripple widely. Nomura Holdings estimates that if exports to the US are halved, as many as 15.8 million jobs could be at risk. Goldman Sachs puts the number of vulnerable positions at 16 million, especially in sectors producing communication equipment, apparel and chemicals. The loss of 'de minimis' tariff exemptions is also expected to weigh on retail and logistics jobs. While official data shows a slight dip in urban unemployment, many workers say conditions feel far worse. Li Yifeng, 29, a production planner at a Shenzhen-based medical equipment firm, said he's worried about losing his job less than a year after joining the company, as new orders slow. His family – including his wife who's recently laid off from her kindergarten job, and elderly parents who rely on modest pensions – depends on his monthly wage of 7,500 yuan (S$1,339). 'I'd make very careful calculations of every penny we spend,' said the father of a one-year-old boy. The household now spends less than 3,000 yuan a month on basic needs such as groceries, baby formula and electricity, and saves the rest. About a dozen consumers surveyed by Bloomberg last month identified stable income as their top consideration when making spending decisions, followed by shopping and childcare subsidies, and reliable access to paid annual leave. Policymakers acknowledge the growing pressure on jobs. At a key meeting last month, the Communist Party's Politburo listed stabilising employment as a priority. Authorities pledged to expand hiring in tech, infrastructure and services, and are rolling out tax breaks, subsidies and training to help firms keep workers and support vulnerable groups such as new graduates and migrants. Maintaining employment is crucial to President Xi Jinping's broader push to shift China's growth model away from one driven by investment and exports and towards domestic consumption. But that transformation is proving difficult. The economy is still grappling with a prolonged property slump, weak consumer and business confidence, and persistent deflation. In the latest sign of fragile consumer sentiment, retail and catering sales during the Labor Day holiday grew more slowly than last year, while box office revenue more than halved. Although more people travelled during the break, average spending per tourist remained 10 per cent below the same period in 2019, before the pandemic. A move away from supply-side policies would mark a major change in how China's economy works. Consumption makes up about 40 per cent of gross domestic product, compared with 50 to 70 per cent in more developed economies. Investment, much of it in manufacturing, makes up another 40 per cent – roughly double the US share and unusually high by global standards. Analysts say short-term measures will not be enough to turn things around. To unlock consumer spending, people need to feel secure about their long-term income, said Lu Feng, an emeritus professor of economics at Peking University's National School of Development, one of the country's top state think tanks. 'Given the insufficient consumer confidence, household permanent income has to increase to reduce people's desire to save,' Lu said. He pointed to regular, substantial increases in pension payouts for farmers and unemployed urban seniors as examples of changes that could support consumer confidence. Lu believes that the trade shock could be the jolt needed for China to push through long-overdue reforms in how it distributes income. The public sector controls funding worth an estimated 45 per cent of GDP – most of which still flows into investment-heavy, supply-side initiatives. Redirecting even 10 per cent of that towards households, pensions and public goods could help build a stronger safety net and more balanced economy, he said. Still, others remain doubtful that Beijing will embrace such sweeping changes anytime soon. Logan Wright, director of China markets research at Rhodium Group, said the real test of China's commitment to a consumption-driven model lies in its willingness to overhaul its tax system. Trump's tariffs, he added, could make reform harder by cutting trade revenues and straining government finances. 'China collects tax on the investment-led growth model. They do not collect tax based on domestic consumption, services activity or individual income tax,' Wright said. Until that changes, a real pivot to consumption-led growth is unlikely, he added. BLOOMBERG
