Privacy expert advises against sharing high-quality photos as AI fakes proliferate

Easily accessible artificial intelligence tools are transforming social media by enabling mass image fraud, privacy expert Harto Pönkä told Yle. The tools have been used, for example, to create fake nude images of ordinary Finnish women and post them on pornographic websites, according to Yle’s report published on Friday.

While no foolproof method exists to prevent such abuses, Pönkä said users can make it harder for fraudsters. He offered five recommendations for protection.

First, he said, do not publish overly high-quality photos. “All it takes now is a clear picture of someone, especially the face. The face can be inserted into another image, and that new image can be easily manipulated with AI apps,” Pönkä said. Sharing technically high-quality images was safer before the advent of advanced AI image generators, when manipulation required skill and dedicated photo-editing software.

Second, consider who sees your images and where you share them. Photos should only be posted in groups whose security is certain, such as among relatives or close friends. Pönkä advised reviewing the membership of all groups you are in and assessing whether every member can be trusted. “There are malicious people who misuse images. If you want to protect yourself quickly, you should hide the images you have published.”

Third, be cautious on all social media platforms. Data and photos for AI-based scams have been harvested not only from Facebook but also from LinkedIn. Anyone can become a victim. “I recommend going through the information and images you’ve shared with hundreds of people – they are effectively public,” Pönkä said.

Fourth, avoid posting images of minors. Posting children’s photos carries particular risk; fake nude images have been made of minors. Yle’s report noted that in one case, photos of a child were taken from the mother’s Facebook page. Even images of adults should not be shared without their permission, though general shots of public spaces where people appear in the distance can be posted without consent.

Fifth, prepare for scammers targeting your loved ones. The so-called “Hey Mum” scam becomes easy if images are available. “A child can be sent what appears to be a video from the mother – with her face and even her voice – if video footage of the mother exists,” Pönkä said.

If you become a victim, act immediately. First contact the platform where your images were misused, then file a police report. Providing any information you have about the possible perpetrator is helpful. While the United Kingdom has criminalised the creation of fake nude images, in Finland only their distribution is illegal. However, both creating and spreading AI-generated nude images can easily constitute a crime under Finnish law, the expert noted.