The widespread use of AI synthesis technology has brought significant convenience to daily life, but it has also created new opportunities for malicious activities. Recently, police in Sichuan Province handled a case involving the use of AI-generated fake images to harass an individual. The suspect, identified as Xu, was placed under administrative detention by public security authorities.
On the afternoon of July 28, around 4 p.m., a citizen named Zhang from Renshou County, Meishan City, filed a report at a local police station. Zhang stated that he was being coerced and persistently harassed by an online acquaintance named Xu, who was using synthetic photos. The harassment had severely disrupted his normal life. Zhang Shijia, an auxiliary police officer at the Puning Police Station of Renshou County Public Security Bureau, explained that the fabricated images depicted scenarios inside a room, showing both the victim and the suspect lying on the same bed. These images were entirely generated through AI technology.
Zhang and Xu had met online but had never met in person. To force a face-to-face meeting and private time together, Xu used AI to alter photos. He repeatedly sent these fake intimate images to Zhang via WeChat, along with frequent harassing and threatening messages. Chen Zhuo, deputy head of the Puning Police Station, noted that the repeated pressure, entanglement, and coercion were designed to force the victim into compliance. He emphasized that this form of covert online intimidation causes significant psychological fear and stress for the victim.
Just one hour after Zhang filed the report, police apprehended the suspect, Xu, who also resided in Renshou County. It was discovered that Xu attempted to delete the images after sending them in an effort to destroy evidence. Zhang Shijia stated that upon checking the suspect's phone, all chat logs and photos had been deleted. Fortunately, the victim had the foresight to save all conversation records and screenshots, which he provided to the police. This allowed the investigation to secure evidence without difficulty.
Investigators meticulously reviewed and verified all relevant evidence, including WeChat chat logs and harassing messages, establishing a complete and closed chain of evidence. Chen Zhuo explained that the suspect used AI-generated fake images as leverage to persistently harass and coerce others, disturbing their normal lives and disrupting social order. This behavior meets the legal criteria for interfering with another person's normal life through the sending of messages and other forms of harassment.
According to Article 42 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law of the People's Republic of China, Xu was sentenced to five days of administrative detention. Police are reminding the public to protect their personal photos and private information to prevent criminals from exploiting them. Liu Hongbin, political instructor at the Puning Police Station, pointed out that the victim had shared personal photos with the suspect during normal social interaction, which gave the suspect the material needed to create the fake images. Many citizens underestimate the risks of casually sharing life photos, not fully recognizing the capabilities of current AI synthesis technology.
Public security authorities urge anyone who encounters harassment or coercion involving AI-generated fake images to immediately preserve all chat records and synthetic images as evidence and report the matter to the police without delay.