A 16-year-old male student in Johor has been arrested for allegedly editing and selling explicit images using artificial intelligence (AI), according to Johor police.
The student is accused of digitally manipulating photos of women using AI tools and selling them on social media platforms for just RM2 each (approx. S$ 0.60).
Police Acted After Receiving a Report on Viral Explicit Photo
According to a police statement, the case came to light after an 18-year-old girl filed a police report on Thursday, 3 April 2025.
She discovered that an edited explicit image of her had gone viral online. In addition, she informed police that the edited images were being sold to the public.
Following her report, a team from the Commercial Crime Investigation Division at the Kulai District Police Headquarters arrested the suspect around 5 pm on Tuesday, 8 April 2025 in the Kulai area.
Victim’s Photos Allegedly Taken from Social Media
Johor Police Chief Datuk M. Kumar said the teenager allegedly obtained his victims’ photos from their social media accounts before using AI to edit them into explicit images.
“Initial investigations found that the suspect had edited the images using artificial intelligence (AI) technology based on photos obtained from the victim’s social media accounts,” he said in a statement.
Police also confiscated a mobile phone believed to have been used to edit and distribute the images.
Eight Victims Have Come Forward So Far
To date, authorities have confirmed that eight separate police reports have been filed by other individuals who also found their faces used in similar edited images.
The 16-year-old is currently being held under a four-day remand order, from 9 to 12 April 2025, to assist in further investigations.
The case is being investigated under:
- Section 292 of the Penal Code, which relates to the distribution of obscene materials. If convicted, the offender could face up to three years in jail, a fine, or both.
- Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act, which deals with the improper use of network facilities or services. If found guilty, the punishment includes a fine of up to RM50,000 (approx. S$14,978.41), up to one year in jail, or both.
Featured images for illustration purposes only via iStock.
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