What happened

The images were reportedly made from real photos taken during school activities, and fake social media profiles were allegedly created to further harass the victims.

Parents were notified by the NSW Department of Education, and the matter referred to police for investigation. 

The name of the school involved has not been disclosed to protect the victims.

The incident follows a similar case in June 2024, where a teenager was arrested for creating deepfake images of around 50 schoolgirls at Bacchus Marsh Grammar in Victoria, Australia.

Why it happened

The rise of easily accessible "nudifying" apps has made it simpler for individuals to create deepfake content, sometimes without understanding the consequences of their actions. 

Incidents such as this appear to stem from a combination of peer bullying and a lack of comprehensive legal frameworks to address non-consensual pornography.

Although Australia has introduced laws to criminalise sharing deepfake porn without consent, there appears to remain a gap in awareness and application of these rules.