Essex Police and EE Team Up to Tackle AI Deepfake Dangers!

Essex Police have teamed up with EE and BT to launch a campaign aimed at educating young people and their families about the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence, or AI. The campaign includes a video that features a young actor demonstrating how AI can be used to change videos and images, making them appear real even when they are not. In one scene, the boy uses his phone to film an older man and then uses AI to make it look like the man is performing ballet moves. The video warns viewers that AI can be used to spread false information and invade people's privacy.

Detective Inspector Emma Portfleet from Essex Police explained that while AI apps can be helpful, they also have the potential to cause serious harm. The police deal with cases involving AI-generated videos and images every day. For example, a man named Brandon Taylor was recently convicted for creating and sharing fake, explicit images of real women using AI. This kind of activity is illegal under the Online Safety Act of 2023, and the government is working to strengthen laws to protect victims. Another issue is the creation of deepfake videos of public figures, such as MP George Freeman, which can be used to spread misinformation and cause confusion. Freeman is calling for new measures to help people who are targeted by these fake videos.

The campaign encourages families to learn how to recognize fake news and protect their privacy online. Starting in February, EE stores in Essex will offer special appointments for families who want to learn more about AI safety. Asif Aziz, EE's retail director, said the company wants to help young people and their parents feel more confident and positive about using technology. The Internet Watch Foundation, based in Cambridge, supports the campaign and helps remove harmful images from the internet, including those created with AI. Chief executive Kerry Smith said that children can feel just as hurt by fake images as they do by real ones, and there are tools available to help them report and remove these images. The overall goal of the campaign is to make the online world safer and to prevent harm before it happens.