Two youths are facing charges in relation to an alleged incident involving AI and the alteration of photos.
Officers allege that the two youths used artificial intelligence to alter photos obtained on social media of other youths.
“The photos were subsequently shared amongst the two suspects,” said RCMP in an announcement issued Thursday morning.
Police reported that the investigation was led by the G Division ICE Unit, with support from the Specialized Response Unit, Territorial Crime Reduction Unit and the Major Crimes Unit.
RCMP said the two youths are now facing a number of charges for allegedly making child sexual abuse and exploitation material, transmitting child sexual abuse and exploitation material and possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material.
Police reported that the two youths appeared before a Justice of the Peace and were later released, subject to conditions to appear in court at a later date.
The RCMP advised the public that the Criminal Code of Canada defines child sexual abuse and exploitation material broadly.
The code’s description includes visual material that “depicts nudity” for a sexual purpose or describes sexual activity involving a person under the age of 18, or material where someone is “depicted as being of a person under 18.”
Police said the law includes material produced through photography, videography, illustration or computer-generated imagery including images and videos created or altered using AI.
“Some individuals may mistakenly believe that AI-generated or digitally created images — especially those that do not depict a real person — are outside the reach of the law. They are not,” said police. “This material normalizes the sexual exploitation of children, fuels demand for actual abuse and contributes to a range of broader harm. The law is designed to address that harm regardless of how the material was produced.”
The RCMP’s Internet Child Exploitation Unit actively investigates alleged incidents involving AI-generated content.
RCMP said they could not provide the ages of the youth and said that no further information was available at this time
Police added the investigation is ongoing.
Officers asked anyone with information on offences of this nature to contact the RCMP.
