Mother says school encouraged her 'not to tell' daughter about deepfake scandal
Girls at The Friends' School in Hobart were targeted in an AI deepfake pornography incident, with their images shared in a boys' group chat, according to parents and police. Two parents criticized the school for discouraging them from informing their daughters about the abuse, saying it removed the victims' agency. The education minister has referred a complaint to the non-government school regulator, while experts recommend early intervention for the perpetrators.
- ▪The Friends' School in Hobart is the world's largest Quaker school and is under scrutiny following a deepfake scandal.
- ▪Tasmania Police identified 21 victims whose images were used in AI-generated pornographic material shared among male students.
- ▪Five male students have left the school following the incident.
- ▪One mother said school staff encouraged her not to tell her daughter about the deepfake, citing advice from police and experts.
- ▪The Tasmanian Education Minister referred a parent's complaint to the Non-Government School Registrations Board for review.
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Parents slam 'weak' response at The Friends' School after girls targeted in AI deepfake pornography scandalBy Alison CostelloeStatelineTopic:AIWed 29 Apr 2026 at 5:56amWed 29 Apr 2026 at 5:56amWed 29 Apr 2026 at 5:56amFive male students have now left The Friends' School in Hobart, following the sharing of deepfake pornographic material. (The Friends' School)In short:Girls at a Tasmanian private school have been targeted in a deepfake incident, with AI-doctored pornographic depictions shared on a boys' group chat, several parents say.Two parents have criticised the school's lack of a victim-focused response, saying they were encouraged not to tell their daughters they had been identified in the material.What's next?The minister has referred a complaint to the non-government school…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).