Cybercriminals target women and celebrities with AI-generated deepfakes

Digital platforms like Facebook and Telegram have transformed into marketplaces for illicit photos and videos, sparking a national crisis of digital obscenity. 

Secret and open groups now facilitate a pornography trade worth millions of pounds, turning essential communication tools into a source of public dread. 

From high-profile celebrities to university students, victims face relentless blackmail and harassment as criminals exploit Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create deepfakes and non-consensual content.

Sociology Professor Salma Akter of Dhaka University warns that all forms of crime now permeate social media. She emphasises the urgent need for "Netizen Etiquette" and suggests that schools teach digital literacy from a young age. "We must urgently draft laws to regulate AI use," she stated, adding that families and educational institutions must encourage responsible social media habits.

Law enforcement agencies recently intensified their crackdown on these syndicates. On 27 April, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested five members of a Telegram-based gang, including its mastermind. This group allegedly blackmailed school and university students after stealing private photos through hacking or retrieving them from former partners.

The crisis extends to targeted character assassination. On 29 April, a public Facebook group used photos of Daffodil University student Swarnali Mondal Tushi to spread religious hatred. Tushi filed a complaint with Uttara East Police Station, explaining that bots shared the post to incite communal tension, placing her and her friends in physical danger.

Celebrities also face significant distress. Pages frequently circulate AI-generated leal content featuring prominent actresses like Aupee Karim and Tasnia Farin. While these artists have voiced their embarrassment on social media, effective remedies remain scarce. 

Tanvir Ahmed, a freelance security expert, noted that Bangladesh lags behind the West in technical enforcement and urged the government to coordinate with "white-hat" hackers to purge the over 100,000 AI-generated videos currently flooding the internet.

NM Nasiruddin, Deputy Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, acknowledged that cybercrime is increasing at an exponential rate. He proposed the creation of a specialised force dedicated solely to cyber offences, alongside continuous advanced training to keep pace with evolving technology.

Meanwhile, parents and teachers report that late-night social media addiction is causing negative behavioural shifts and academic decline among the youth.

Source: Bangladesh Pratidin