Some AI bots utilise sophisticated AI algorithms to digitally remove clothing from images
Published : 16 Aug 2023, 03:26 AM
Growing up along the banks of the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, Sultana Razia [not her real name] recently found herself thrust into a scary ordeal.
Around two weeks ago, she received an unsettling message from an unfamiliar sender on her Instagram account.
She was shocked to see a distressing image that had manipulated a normal photo of herself dressed in traditional attire into something explicit.
"I was puzzled about who did it and why. The account didn't seem real, which made me even more scared," she explained when describing the incident.
The sudden incident left her deeply unsettled and unsure about how to cope.
"Then I immediately showed it to my sister. She pointed out that it seemed edited because the image displayed the logo of an artificial intelligence website.
“We verified through a Google search that the manipulation was likely done using AI rather than Photoshop."
When discussing the incident, the victim recounted, "Upon my sister's suggestion, I shared it on Facebook. Initially, my friends didn't respond negatively, but as the post gained traction and other pages reposted it, unknown individuals started leaving hurtful comments."
"Some even said I deserved to be slapped or questioned why I still kept my profile public.”
“It felt like they were suggesting an extreme solution for a minor issue," she recounted the comments she faced.
"I'm concerned because I haven't informed my family about this situation yet. I've also started blocking certain relatives online. However, as the post is circulating, if any family member comes across it, they might contact my parents. I'm thinking about how to tell my parents about this slowly," Sultana said.
“Dress remover AI. Nowadays, it has become a rising topic in Bangladesh. Deep fake apps have been developed a lot. Many crimes have been committed through this technology, and now, AI is making it easier. It has become too easy to remove clothes from your photo and make vulgar videos with your face using your photos,” she said in her Facebook post.
When asked if she had sought help from the law enforcers, she said, "I haven't approached the police. You know how our police can be! If you go to them, they might not cooperate much, and they could even ask to see that picture of me. Also, for filing a complaint, you need to name a specific person, but I have no clue about their identity."
Sultana's bold move of sharing the harassment incident publicly has shocked the perpetrators.
"After I posted the screenshot publicly, the account that sent the image kept urging me to delete the post. They claimed it was just a playful AI experiment," she said.
‘WAS THAT REALLY ME?’
A week after the incident, another victim, Noureen Afrose Piya, a Bangladeshi TikTok star and YouTuber, shared a similar tale of harassment. A nine-second explicit video featuring Piya started circulating on different platforms, prominently on Facebook, where it gained significant traction.
On Aug 5, Piya took to Facebook and released a seven-minute video statement, clarifying that the video had been created using AI technology.
She said: "I've been dealing with this since morning, and I think it will take a few more weeks to handle. People on various platforms, like my pages and TikTok, are saying the video is out. But is it really me in that video? Those who know me well can confirm it's not me."
"Can you imagine how much my family and I are going through? I woke up today, and my life was turned upside down. People who used to like me are now making fun of me. I haven't done anything wrong, so why am I being blamed?"
Piya also said everyone struggles to cope with such situations in this social context.
"To those who did this, I want to say: don't harass people like this. I can speak up because I'm somewhat strong, but for those who are more sensitive, this kind of treatment might make them suicidal. Your actions could lead someone to end their own life," she said.
"The girl's physique and her hands don't match mine. The girl in the video had a tattoo on her hand, something I've never had," she said in an interview with a private television channel three days after the incident.
“I've never made that kind of video,” she added.
Focusing on the broader impact on her family, Piya said, "My father runs a business in Dinajpur. But now, he has stopped going to the store as people keep asking him what has happened."
"My mom goes through all the comments on my Facebook. When she saw a lot of negative comments that day, she called me and asked what's happening. I explained the situation to her and told her not to worry. Later, I shared the incident with her. It's truly embarrassing for a girl!" Piya continued.
"I'm not married yet. My mother is concerned about my marriage. With everything that's happened, I'm feeling emotionally overwhelmed. I don't know when I'll be able to recover and when things will settle down for my family," she said.
"After Aug 5, I started getting threatening emails which said, 'From now on, when I edit videos, there will be no tattoos in them,'" she said.
"They demanded $3,000 and warned, 'If you don't pay, my editing will get even better.'"
"I provided the email copies to the cybercrime authorities. They are tracking the IP address of the threat.
“I've found out it's being operated from another country, but someone in our country is involved," she said.
HOW IS IT DONE?
The Telegram Dress Remover Bot utilises sophisticated AI algorithms to remove clothing from images containing individuals digitally.
While this tool holds intriguing potential for image editing, it's vital to understand the ethical and legal issues it brings forth.
Speaking to bdnews24.com, Sumon Ahmed Sabir, an expert in information technology, explained that bots specifically pertain to software integrity and can be hosted on diverse servers or computers.
This type of bot has the capability to execute tasks by establishing a connection from a remote location.
For instance, he said, chatbots are widely used in social marketing, and when there is a high volume of daily complaints in customer care, chatbots can handle routine queries.
“They ask users about their needs and transfer the conversation to a human when necessary. This has significantly reduced the workforce needed in call centres.”
Previously, a call centre might have required 1,000 employees, but now, with the help of bots, the same work can be done by just 20 people, he said.
But there are also harmful variations of bots like malware bots, said Sumon, the chief technology officer of international internet gateway operator Fibre@Home.
“Imagine you download software or visit a website, and a bot ends up on your device.
"These malicious bots can record what you type, including private details like usernames and passwords. They mimic human actions but with harmful intentions."
Some bots have the capability to transform photos quickly, and they can even convert photos into videos.
"Advanced AI graphics technology can effortlessly modify both photos and videos. Like blending faces in photos – this capability also expands to videos," Sumon said.
"Previously, editing images using Photoshop was a time-consuming process. If you weren't proficient in Photoshop, turning a regular photo into a fake nude one was complicated. Nowadays, by adding a face to a video, that face is automatically integrated throughout the entire video. You might not notice it's fake if you're not careful."
WOMEN ARE MAIN TARGETS
The use of artificial intelligence for targeted harassment has led to a situation where women are hesitant to share photos on social media.
Sumaiya Rahman, an under-graduate student at Siddheswari College, removed her pictures as a precaution.
“After seeing this incident, I have already removed all my photos. Because I don't want to go viral."
However, she also acknowledged that this does not solve the problem entirely.
“Unfortunately, I find myself in a helpless position. The sources and means through which my pictures could be misused to harass me remain unpredictable."
Sultana believes women face extra emotional pressure in this new reality compared to boys in similar situations.
"If there was a boy in my place, he wouldn't have had to take so much pressure,” she said.
According to the Cyber Crime Division of Dhaka, 80 percent of victims of online harassment are women, among which the majority of victims are aged between 16 and 17.
A recent BBC report highlighted that the risk of harassment through social media is increasing at an alarming rate in Bangladesh.
The report underscores that women and minors are predominantly targeted in these cases.
HOW TO TAKE ACTION, REPORT
StopNCII.org is a free tool designed to support victims of Non-Consensual Intimate Image (NCII) abuse.
Victims are uploading actual and AI-generated images to the website stopncii.org to get them removed, and the website is also providing free removal of AI-generated images from all online platforms.
Sultana said that many victims are taking help from this website.
“I've been receiving messages from many girls since my post went viral. I tell them about the website,” Sultana said.
“Many say, 'It's working!'"
When asked about the website, IT expert Sumon said, “This is a great effort for the victims to remove the fake image or video from popular social media like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram etc. And it claims it has a good success rate.”
He said the first step should be to file a legal complaint.
"We have a cybercrime unit within our police force that offers help and has achieved success on certain occasions," he said, also noting their associations with certain major platforms like Facebook or Google services.
They can help in taking down the victim's image or video, he said.
They can even identify who uploaded it on popular social media platforms, but identifying the exact video creator and the tools used can be tough.
Telegram is a messaging platform akin to WhatsApp, but it is open for developers to build their own plug-ins in this platform.
Although this option offers some advantages, the downsides appear to be more significant, Sumon said.
“If the bot appears to be malicious, our law enforcement agencies can contact Telegram to have it removed. Telegram may also help identify who uses these bots to defame others.”
Dealing with and recovering from this kind of abuse is different for everyone.
Meta Platforms, the owner of Facebook, advises taking the following steps if someone has shared or threatened to share intimate images.
Contact local law enforcement if concerned about physical safety.
Consider seeking professional support and guidance.
Explain the situation to a trusted friend or family member for support while navigating the process.
Take screenshots and print out pages of photos and threats before taking any steps to delete the images, as these may be needed as evidence for pursuing legal action.
WHAT POLICE SAY
Mohammad Saiful Alam Khan, director of Bangladesh government's e-Government Computer Incident Response Team, or BGD e-GOV CIRT project, said: "I'm aware of this, although I haven't conducted a detailed analysis yet. We've heard that these incidents are happening with the help of AI tools from other countries.”
"I heard it's happening on Telegram too. However, we must conduct a thorough investigation, as we are currently looking into the matter. We can't say anything for sure without analysing it."
Md Najmul Islam, additional deputy commissioner at the Cyber Crime Investigation Division of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said, "We have been informed about this situation and are aware of it. However, as of now, we haven't received any complaints about individuals being harmed or victimised."
"This is a recent concern. I strongly recommend that those affected should promptly inform the police. The police will take the necessary action. Through analysis, our forensic lab can confirm if the content is real or fake."
When asked if the police contacted Telegram regarding this matter, he replied, "We'll respond if there's an incident. Otherwise, we won't initiate contact.
“We lack information about the victims or those facing issues. Reporting a problem provides us with leads. The police will then pursue these leads."
[Writing in English by Arshi Fatiha Quazi; editing by Osham-ul-Sufian Talukder]