Neil Darlington, a 52-year-old man, was found guilty of using artificial intelligence to blackmail minors into providing explicit images. The Court of Appeal increased his initial sentence from one year to three years.
AI-Driven Blackmail
Darlington admitted to ten charges, including making indecent images of children and blackmailing two girls. He used AI to alter fully clothed decoys sent by police officers and threatened to send these altered pictures to the victims’ families and friends.
Arguments in Court
The Solicitor General appealed, stating that the initial sentence was too lenient. The Court of Appeal in London agreed. Lord Justice Bean, Mrs. Justice Cutts, and Mr. Justice Murray ruled that the sentence should be increased due to the seriousness of Darlington’s actions. Darlington’s lawyer, Robert Holt, argued that imprisonment alone was a severe punishment, especially considering Darlington’s ill health. However, the judges did not accept his arguments.
Lawsuit Against Deepfake Sites
The San Francisco City Attorney’s office recently filed a lawsuit against 16 well-known deepfake websites. City Attorney David Chiu stated that this is the first legal action of its kind, and the sued sites received more than 200 million visits in the first half of 2024. The lawsuit claims that these sites use AI to strip images of clothing without consent.
The extension of Neil Darlington's sentence underscores the importance of severe punishment for such crimes. The lawsuit against deepfake sites represents a new stage in combating illegal activities in the digital space.
Comments