Hong Kong student let off with warning over AI porn, fuels calls to ban sexually explicit deepfakes
A law student at the University of Hong Kong allegedly used AI to turn photos of his friends, classmates and other acquaintances into sexually explicit content.
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HONG KONG: A warning letter and an order to apologise - that’s all a student from the University of Hong Kong (HKU) received after allegedly using artificial intelligence (AI) to create hundreds of sexually explicit deepfakes of his friends and classmates.
The incident has sparked calls from lawmakers and women’s rights advocates for stronger laws to tackle deepfake pornography, amid concerns that the university’s response was too lenient.
Although the case purportedly occurred earlier this year, it only gained public attention on Saturday (Jul 12), after three of the alleged victims anonymously posted a summary of the accusations online.
According to the statement, which was posted on Instagram under the handle hku.nfolderincident, the incident involved a male law student at HKU, referred to as X. In mid-February, a friend discovered pornographic images of multiple women on his personal laptop.
More than 700 images were reportedly found, organised into folders named after the estimated 20 to 30 victims - including X’s friends, university classmates, seniors, primary school classmates, and even secondary school teachers.
WHAT THE VICTIMS SAY
Upon questioning, X admitted to using photos of the victims, mostly screenshots taken from social media, to generate the sexually explicit images using free online AI software.
“Some victims were close friends with X, others were mere acquaintances, and some had only met X once. It is understood that none of the victims authorised X’s actions,” the statement said.
It added that while X initially attempted to apologise to five victims in person, he only followed through with two, while also claiming that just five individuals were affected in total.
In mid-March, some of the victims contacted HKU requesting follow-up action, the statement said. They sought to have the matter reviewed by the university’s disciplinary committee, citing “ragging” - where a student humiliates or ridicules another student.
Under Hong Kong law, HKU’s disciplinary committee can order students found guilty of disciplinary offences to be reprimanded, fined, withdrawn from university courses or exams, suspended or even expelled.
According to the statement, the victims also asked for “appropriate disciplinary measures” to hold X accountable for “his actions of sexual violence”. They further requested class adjustments and that their tutors be notified, as some shared tutorials with X.
In late March, HKU engaged with the students to understand the incident, the statement said. The meeting was attended by two university staff members, two victims, and a friend of X as a witness.
According to the statement, one staff member told the victims she had consulted a lawyer, who advised that X’s actions were “not likely to constitute any offence”. The other staff member proposed issuing X a warning letter to be logged in his personal student file, and summoning him for a “verbal reprimand”.
In mid-April, a staff member emailed one of the victims confirming that the warning letter had been filed and forwarded X’s apology letter.
But the apology letter was brief - around 60 words - and most victims found it insincere, the statement said.
“Most of the victims also felt that the university’s response was insufficient,” it said, adding that the matter has “remained dormant” since April.
The statement also claimed that HKU did not take action for an “extended period” regarding the victims’ request to be separated from X in classes.
It was only before the final tutorial session of the semester that HKU, citing the “wide distribution of victims across tutorial groups”, invited two victims to attend alternative sessions, the statement said.
This delay forced some victims to share the classroom with X at least four times, causing “unnecessary psychological distress”, it added.
HKU RESPONDS AS LAWMAKERS CALL FOR TIGHTER LAWS
In a press release on Saturday, HKU said it is aware of the social media posts on the incident. It was published hours after the victims’ statement emerged, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
The university said it had adhered to its internal rules as well as “relevant laws” in handling the case, and has kept in communication with the affected students.
“With the consideration of taking care of their well-being, the university has taken various steps, including class adjustments, to address their needs,” it said.
HKU said it has already issued a warning letter to the student and demanded that he formally apologise to his affected peers.
“The university deeply understands the concerns raised and will further review the case, taking further actions when appropriate to ensure a safe and respectful learning environment,” HKU said in its Saturday statement, while also reaffirming its “zero-tolerance” towards gender discrimination, harassment, or misconduct.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong advocates and lawmakers have urged the city to outlaw deepfake pornographic content.
“The images were fabricated and AI-generated, but their impact on victims is real and no different from that caused by genuine images,” said Doris Chong Tsz-wai, the executive director of advocacy group Rain Lily, as quoted by SCMP. The group aims to raise awareness of sexual violence against women.
Chong said perpetrators in many cases knew their victims personally, representing a betrayal of trust and causing significant emotional distress.
“The current laws only outlaw superimposed images when they are published or threatened to be published without consent, but not necessarily their mere generation,” she said.
In 2021, Hong Kong introduced four new offences targeting voyeurism-related acts - voyeurism, unlawful recording or observation of intimate parts, publication of intimate images originating from the commission of such acts, as well as publishing or threatening to post intimate images without consent.
They carry a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, SCMP reported.
One lawmaker also urged Hong Kong to follow in South Korea’s footsteps by banning AI-generated pornographic images.
“It is hugely offensive, especially to women, even if they do not distribute or publish these images,” said Legislative Council member Doreen Kong Yuk-foon. “It causes huge mental distress and disturbance.”
South Korea last year passed an amendment to make possessing and viewing deepfake porn punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won (US$21,740).
The maximum prison sentence for creating and distributing non-consensual deepfake explicit images was also increased to seven from five years.
