Los Banos: Teachers in the US and UK are raising concerns about a disturbing new form of harassment after students allegedly used artificial intelligence to create fake sexual images and videos of them.
The incidents have left educators distressed and, in some cases, questioning their relationships with students and whether they feel safe returning to the classroom.
A photo turned into a disturbing fake
For substitute teacher Luis DeSantiago in California, the problem began with a few messages in March.
A colleague told him that an AI-generated image resembling him was circulating on social media. The original appeared to be based on an old photograph, but AI had altered it to show him in lingerie and posing suggestively.
DeSantiago later identified an account using his name and photograph that appeared to be connected to students at a local middle school.
One student reportedly admitted creating the image and received an in-school suspension. However, DeSantiago said the image continued to circulate on TikTok, Snapchat and among students.
He eventually stopped accepting assignments at the middle school and said he did not feel safe returning.
Other teachers report similar incidents
DeSantiago is not alone. Other educators interviewed by WIRED described similar experiences involving manipulated photographs and videos.
One teacher said students created fake videos showing her apparently discussing and performing sexual acts. Another teacher said an AI-generated image showed him kissing another male teacher.
In each case, the teachers said the incidents caused significant distress and raised concerns about how easily AI tools can be misused.
Schools struggle to respond
Legal experts say creating and distributing sexualised AI images of teachers could amount to sexual harassment, while certain forms of non-consensual intimate imagery may also violate US federal law.
However, there is no single standard for how schools should respond to such incidents.
Some schools investigated the students involved, imposed suspensions or removed them from classes. In other cases, teachers said they were left uncertain about what disciplinary action had been taken.
Educators fear what comes next
For many teachers, the problem goes beyond a single fake image.
The incidents have raised concerns about students sharing such material privately through group chats and the possibility of increasingly realistic deepfakes being used to target educators.
One teacher said the experience had made her more cautious and vigilant around students, while another said it had made him think about the lack of understanding among young people about the consequences of what they post online.
As AI-generated content becomes easier to create, educators and schools are now facing a difficult challenge: protecting teachers from digital harassment while helping students understand that what happens online can have serious real-world consequences.