Buenos Aires schools face rise in sexual deepfakes

A report from the Defensoría del Pueblo of the City of Buenos Aires reveals that 43% of adolescents in Buenos Aires have received images or videos manipulated with artificial intelligence. Additionally, 13% of students report being aware of deepfake incidents within their school environments.

Recent investigations at the Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires and Colegio Carlos Pellegrini have focused on the use of AI to create non-consensual sexualized images and fake nudity of minors. Authorities are investigating these cases as the production and dissemination of child sexual exploitation material, with approximately 50 minors reportedly involved in spreading the audiovisual content via WhatsApp.

Global organizations including Unicef, ECPAT, and Interpol estimate that at least 1.2 million children and adolescents were affected by sexual deepfake manipulation in the past year. While only 1% of adolescents aged 12 to 19 in Buenos Aires report being direct victims, the prevalence of receiving such content remains high, and only 35% of those surveyed claim to verify the authenticity of the images they receive.