Trigger Warning:

This article mentions instances of sexual abuse and crimes which may be triggering for some readers. If you or someone you know is struggling, please know that help is available.

If you are in London, Ontario, here are some helpful resources:

Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Program (St Joseph’s Health Care London): Call at anytime at 519 646-6100 (ext. 64224 for nurses), visit their website for in-person support.
Anova Sexual Violence Counselling: Provides 24-hour support at 519-642-3000 or visit their website.
Western’s Gender-Based Violence & Survivor Support Case Manager: Will provide resources for cases that happened on or off campus, even before arriving at Western, contact at 519 661-3568. Visit the Reporting Gender-Based Violence website to access more information and resources.

Black Mirror is a popular Netflix show that showcases instances of futuristic applications of technology. It is unsettling and eerie and yet, we have already experienced some of the examples shown in Black Mirror. As we advance in technology in innovative and beautiful ways, its use for sinister and heinous motives also surfaces.

These motives introduce us to fake news and AI crimes that have become increasingly prevalent. Fake articles created by artificial intelligence are being spread on news outlets and social media platforms, misinforming the general public from what are usually trusted sources of news.

Mentioned in The Washington Post, a fabricated article about Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and his fictional psychiatrist made its way to an Iranian TV show, and circulated on websites in Arabic, English and Indonesian. In the same article, it was noted that prior to an election in Slovakia, politicians were faced with controversy over things they had never said– statements that were completely powered by artificial intelligence cloning their voices. While these examples highlight the influence of AI in our everyday life, they barely scratch the surface of the more severe consequences AI can bring.

There have been countless crimes committed through the use of AI, however some are incredibly disturbing and just goes to show how powerful AI can truly be in the wrong hands. Deep fakes are an example of this. Per the Government of Canada, “Deep Fakes are media manipulations that are based on advanced artificial intelligence (AI), where images, voices, videos or text are digitally altered or fully generated by AI”. Often the severity of deepfakes can vary from fake photos of politicians and celebrities such as Donald Trump to fake sexually explicit content being created of everyday people.

In the past few years there has been a deepfake crisis in South Korea where Telegram (a very popular messaging platform) chat rooms have been created for the sole purpose of interacting with fake graphic images of sexually abused women, often young women in middle and high school. The images of these women are often created by people they know and are sold alongside the victim’s social media and phone number, which are often used to further blackmail victims and keep them helpless, despite the images being entirely AI generated. There are alarming numbers composing these chat rooms, with one of the many participating having up to 220,000 members according to The Conversation.

In conclusion, while advancements in artificial intelligence have led to remarkable innovations with electrical cars and medical technology, they have also opened doors to alarming misuse. From the spread of deepfakes to AI-generated misinformation, the dark side of these technologies reveals their potential to cause immense harm. As we navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, it is crucial to remain vigilant and informed. By sharpening our media literacy and understanding the risks, we can better protect ourselves and others from the manipulation and exploitation AI can bring. The power of AI is undeniable, but it is our responsibility to ensure that it is used ethically and for the greater good.