PROPERTY SEARCH

Date Published: 19/09/2023

Nude photos of underage girls created with artificial intelligence spread across Spain

Several minors have been arrested in Badajoz, western Spain and face up to 9 years in prison

In this internet age, parents have more than their fair share of worry and for more than 20 mothers in the town of Almendralejo (Badajoz) in Spain, their worst nightmares concerning their children came true this week.

Dozens of photos of their daughters, all aged between 12 and 17, have been shared on social networks, showing the girls naked. But while the faces are quite real, the bodies are not, as the heads of the children have been superimposed on nude pictures using artificial intelligence.

The situation was brought to light by the well-known gynaecologist Miriam Al Adib, who raised the issue on Instagram when she realised that fake photos of her girls, aged 14 and 17, had been circulated far and wide.

“You are not aware of the damage you have done to all the girls. And you are also not aware of the crime that this is. It is a crime and a very serious one,” the concerned mother warned the perpetrators, while appealing to all of the affected families to come forward. So far, Badajoz police have taken statements relating to 23 victimised children and several suspects have been arrested.

According to Ms Al Adib, the events began “in a children’s WhatsApp group,” but legal experts in gender violence and Internet law agree that, whatever the age of the culprits, the act of creating and sharing the photos constitutes a crime of child pornography, the prison term for which ranges between one and none years.

What’s more, the penalties not only apply to those who create and distribute the images in the first place, but also to anyone who subsequently replicates or redistributes them.

The mothers believe that many of those behind the abuse are kids from the local high school, but the identities of the suspects haven’t been made public.

“A complaint has been made, several statements have been taken, specifically seven statements have been taken from seven possible victims, and as a result of the police investigation, some of the minors who could be involved have been identified,” a Police spokesperson confirmed.

In other news: Ryanair comes under fire in Spain for unfair check-in practices

Image: @PoliciaLocalAlm

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