AI nudes used for blackmail in India; tech companies respond
AI-powered apps that create fake nude images are fueling a rise in sextortion and blackmail across India.
In one case, a Ghaziabad man was threatened with what a helpline said were most likely AI-generated nude photos of himself and his wife, made from a photograph from Facebook, taken years ago at a cousin's wedding.
The scammer demanded ₹5 lakh, threatening to post the images online unless he paid up.
Thankfully, reporting it to the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal put an end to the harassment.
Police action and tech company response
Police have arrested students in Chhattisgarh and Bengaluru for creating and sharing non-consensual AI nudes of classmates, while a tragic case in Faridabad saw a teen die by suicide after being sextorted with such images.
Loan apps have also misused phone galleries for blackmail, often distributing altered photos via Telegram bots for money.
Tech companies are responding—TikTok and Meta have implemented measures such as keyword blocks, and Google has removed certain ads.