"An increase in deepfake images created by AI software, younger victims being targeted, and the rise of organised crime groups is changing the landscape of sextortion in New Zealand.
There were 667 reports of sextortion made to internet safety watchdog Netsafe between January and March. Last year, Netsafe received 2250 total reports."
Disgusting
absolutely disgusting—and terrifying. the rise in deepfake-driven sextortion is a brutal reminder that AI tools, while powerful, are being weaponized in ways that inflict real harm, especially on vulnerable individuals. when criminals can fabricate explicit images with frightening realism and little effort, the psychological damage is profound—even if the images are fake, the trauma is very real