Fake nude images are digital violence, expert warns as trend grows

Fake nude images are a form of digital violence and the phenomenon is likely to continue growing, Anni Skriko of Finland’s Victim Support service told Yle. The organisation receives related contacts every week.

The issue has drawn attention in Lappeenranta, where a minor was suspected of creating AI-generated fake nude images of several underage girls. Police said on Friday that they had no information that the images had been distributed or sold.

Police also said the number of alleged victims was significantly lower than initially estimated. Early reports had referred to more than 100 victims.

Do not blame the victim

Skriko, service coordinator at the Victim Support Finland office in South Karelia, said the issue should be discussed with a young person calmly and without blame.

“It is important to talk about it in a way that makes clear that it is not the young person’s fault. Creating and distributing these images is always the perpetrator’s shame, not the victim’s,” Skriko said.

She said it was important to show the young person that they could talk openly about what had happened. Victims may experience shame even though they have done nothing wrong.

Save the evidence

Anyone preparing to file a police report should collect all possible evidence, Skriko said. This may include screenshots of published images, as well as the times and platforms where the material was posted or distributed.

If the suspected creator or publisher’s name, username or social media profile is known, it should be given to the police. The account or creator can also be reported to the platform where the material was distributed.

Skriko said it was very difficult to prevent the creation of fake images because anyone with material available online could become a target.

Families should also discuss with young people that creating such an image may be a crime and that distributing it may be a crime. The consequences can be serious for both the victim and the person who committed the offence.

Skriko believes the phenomenon, which has been growing for several years, will continue to expand as more tools become available for creating this type of material.