Authorities are currently delving into claims that explicit deepfake images featuring the faces of female high school students in Sydney have surfaced.

The New South Wales Police have confirmed that officers in the Ryde area, situated to the northwest of Sydney’s central business district, are actively investigating the situation.

They added, “Investigations are ongoing, and no further details are available at this moment.”

The Department of Education has expressed its commitment to collaborating closely with the police and has pledged to take appropriate action should any student be implicated in the creation of these images.

A spokesperson from the department emphasized, “Deepfakes pose significant new threats to the privacy and wellbeing of students.”

”Deepfakes present significant new risks to the wellbeing and privacy of students,” a department spokesperson said.

“The school is working closely with police on this matter.

“If any student is found to have engaged in this behaviour, the school will be taking strong disciplinary action.”

Acting Education Minister Courtney Houssos said the report was “deeply concerning”.

“These are deeply concerning reports, and police are investigating this matter as is appropriate. I expect those responsible to face the appropriate consequences,” she said.

“I understand the school has support in place for the students affected as well as support for the broader school community.

“As this is an active police investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”

‘Current crisis’ for schools and students 

Deepfakes are digitally altered photos, videos or voice recordings of someone that have been edited to falsely depict them. 

Tools to create deepfakes can be exploited to create non-consensual and fake explicit images of a person, with women and girls the most likely targets.

The eSafety commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, in June said deepfakes are a “current crisis affecting school communities across Australia”.

“Students have found their image represented in fake nude photos or videos,” the commissioner wrote at the time.

“Others have received AI-generated explicit content of their peers. Entire school communities have been thrown into turmoil – with families, educators, and students unsure how to respond.”

Inman Grant added that deepfakes are “increasingly in use” among young people.

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