By Kayla DeKraker
The parents of one teen who lost his life by suicide reflected on the events that led to his devastating choice: sextortion based on AI-generate deepfakes.
In February, Elijah Heacock was sent AI-generated nudes of himself from an anonymous person, demanding that he pay $3,000 or the photos would be released. He sent the person some money and was told in response that it was not enough. This led to the teen taking his life later that month.
Heacock’s mother, Shannon Heacock, reflected on the horrific tragedy. “They started asking Eli for money. This person was asking for $3,000. $3,000 from a child, and now we’re looking at $30,000 to bury our son and medical bills,” she said.
His father, John Burnett, noted, “We knew nothing about sextortion or how it works.”
He warned other parents, saying, “The people that are after our children are well organized. They are well financed, and they are relentless. They don’t need the photos to be real, they can generate whatever they want, and then they use it to blackmail the child.”
The FBI website explains that sextortion “can start on any site, app, messaging platform, or game where people meet and communicate. In some cases, the first contact from the criminal will be a threat. The person may claim to already have a revealing picture or video of a child that will be shared if the victim does not send more pictures.”
Thankfully, new legislation recently passed to criminalize the individuals targeting children in this way. The “Take it Down Act,” signed by President Trump in May, “criminalizes posting ‘intimate images’ — real or AI-generated — online without an individual’s consent and requires technology companies to remove the content within 48 hours.”
Related: Landmark Lawsuit Could Take Down AI Porn Industry — Here’s How
This however doesn’t completely stop perpetrators from targeting victims, and the best line of defense starts at home.
The website stopsextortion.com shares several tips on how parents and caregivers can help.
First, the group says, “Be there unconditionally.” Many children feel shame even though it’s not their fault. It is important to have conversations about this with children so that they aren’t afraid to come to you with their concerns.
Second, it is vital to “report sextortion to the platform.” Because of the new law, platforms are required to remove such content once reported.
Third, parents should also report sextortion to NCMEC’s Cybertipline. Several websites such as report.cybertip.org and takeitdown.ncmec.org can take further action against the individual perpetrating the crime.
The final tip is to “save everything” that the blackmailer threatens. This way there is record of the offense that authorities can use.
Sextortion and deepfakes are horrible and traumatizing, but with proper knowledge and parental oversight, we can protect children and teens from the physical and emotional harm that these crimes cause.
Read Next: How Parents, Teachers, and Legislators Are Working To Protect Children Online
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