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A 25-year-old man in Glasgow was convicted and fined after using an AI-powered software application to modify social media photos of a former classmate into non-consensual nude images. He distributed these fabricated images to friends without the victim's knowledge or consent. The victim reported feeling embarrassed and humiliated upon discovering the images, leading to a police investigation and a guilty plea in Glasgow Sheriff Court.
In February 2024, a Glasgow man, Callum Brooks, reportedly used an AI-powered image-alteration tool to create deepfake nude images of a woman he knew from school by modifying her publicly posted social media photos. He allegedly sent the fabricated intimate images to two friends without her consent. The woman was reportedly embarrassed and distressed after learning of the images. Brooks pled guilty in Glasgow Sheriff Court and was fined £335.
Domain classification, causal taxonomy, severity scores, and national security assessments were LLM-classified and may contain errors.
Using AI systems to gain a personal advantage over others such as through cheating, fraud, scams, blackmail or targeted manipulation of beliefs or behavior. Examples include AI-facilitated plagiarism for research or education, impersonating a trusted or fake individual for illegitimate financial benefit, or creating humiliating or sexual imagery.
Also classified as
The incident involved the generation and distribution of non-consensual sexually explicit content (pornography) to third parties.
The perpetrator used AI to create humiliating and sexual deepfake imagery targeting a specific victim for personal amusement or social demonstration.
Human
Due to a decision or action made by humans
Intentional
Due to an expected outcome from pursuing a goal
Post-deployment
Occurring after the AI model has been trained and deployed
The harm was caused by the intentional decision and action of a human user to create and distribute non-consensual deepfake images using a deployed AI tool.
Added categories peak at 2: Minor (Psychological Harm, Direct)
A localized criminal incident in Glasgow involving the creation and distribution of non-consensual deepfake nude images of a former classmate. While constituting a serious violation of individual privacy and dignity, the incident was handled through local law enforcement and has negligible national security implications.
The AI system functioned as a tool, performing a specific image-manipulation task based on direct user inputs without autonomous planning or context retention.
Limited Risk: The system is used to generate AI-altered content (deepfakes), which is subject to specific transparency and disclosure obligations under the EU AI Act.
The AI software was explicitly used to alter clothed photos of a person to make them appear naked, which constitutes deepfake image generation.
The reports from multiple reputable news outlets provide consistent, detailed accounts of the court case, the perpetrator's actions, the victim's reaction, and the legal outcome. There are no conflicting details regarding the core events.
None. The facts of the case and the guilty plea leave no room for alternative interpretations.
Technology
Highly Realistic AI Image Generation
The software created lifelike intimate images from fully clothed photos.
Accessibility of Deepfake Tools
Novel AI tools were easily obtained and operated by an untrained individual.
Data Inputs
Publicly Available Social Media Photos
The perpetrator easily obtained source images from the victim's Instagram.
Unprotected Personal Likeness
No technical barriers prevented downloading and manipulating personal photos.
Human Factors
Desire to Show Off Technology
The perpetrator wanted to demonstrate the novel software's capabilities.
Disregard for Personal Consent
The images were altered and shared without the victim's knowledge or consent.
Peer Request and Social Pettiness
One friend requested the images, motivating the perpetrator's actions.
Process and Methods
Lack of Software Input Safeguards
The tool lacked mechanisms to block editing of non-consenting individuals.
Unmonitored Private Sharing
Images were shared directly with friends via private channels without detection.
Management
Weak Developer Safety Controls
Software creators failed to implement guardrails against generating nudity.
Regulatory Environment
Lagging Deepfake Legislation
Specific laws criminalizing deepfake creation were not yet fully implemented.
Inadequate Legal Deterrents
The perpetrator only faced a small fine, showing weak legal deterrence.
AI system involved
An AI system was involved, but the reports do not identify it.
Identified by automated extraction; can differ from the alleged developers above.
