'Deepfake tech complicates efforts to fight child sexual abuse material'

Summary

• AI-generated deepfake content involving children makes it harder for authorities to verify the authenticity of evidence in child sexual abuse material cases.

• Police have probe 287 related cases since 2021, with a 90 percent conviction rate; over 100,000 Malaysian IPs were linked to such content as of last year.

• Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah says the spike in detected IPs is not due to enforcement weaknesses, but reflects broader internet access and improved international cyber reporting systems.

PARLIAMENT | The use of deepfake videos by perpetrators of child sexual abuse material, generated with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, has posed huge challenges to authorities, said Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah.

Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat today, the deputy minister highlighted that while the digital data of such wrongdoers - such as IP addresses and user identities - can be identified, police still face several constraints in the prosecution process.

Such roadblocks, he said, include the use of AI technologies by offenders, some of whom generate inappropriate images and videos of children through deepfakes.

“(The use of deepfakes) poses significant challenges in verifying the authenticity and legitimacy of such materials. Manipulated or falsified evidence can weaken its probative value during court proceedings,” Shamsul added.

He also said that the use of masking technologies, such as virtual private networks, as well as the deletion or encryption of digital evidence, complicates police’s forensic tracing efforts.

The deputy minister said this in responding to an additional question from lawmaker Iskandar Dzulkarnain Abdul Khalid (Independent-Kuala Kangsar) on the challenges faced by authorities attempting to take strict action against the spread of child sexual abuse material online.

The Kuala Kangsar MP had also asked whether the government believes the high number of IP addresses detected to be linked to child sexual abuse materials is a sign of weaknesses in the nation’s cyber monitoring system and current enforcement measures.

Not a weakness

In response, Shamsul said the Home Ministry does not view the high number of detected IP addresses as a weakness in existing cyber monitoring or enforcement systems.

“Instead, this increase (of detected IP addresses involved in child sexual abuse material) is seen as a manifestation of the rapid development of digital technology and the growing accessibility of the internet.

“International cyber reporting systems have also enabled the identification of more incidents and suspected activities, contributing to the rise in reported IP addresses,” he added.

Police data released last year indicated that over 100,000 Malaysian IP addresses had accessed child sexual abuse material websites.

The figure is a sharp spike from the 17,000 IP addresses found to have accessed such online pages in 2015.

90pct conviction rate

Shamsul said that from 2021 to the present day, police have investigated 287 cases related to the production, possession, distribution, access, download and upload of child sexual abuse materials.

The probes, he said, were conducted under Sections 4 to 10 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and resulted in a 90 percent conviction rate.

“We continuously monitor and take this issue very seriously, as it involves children.

“We hope this responsibility (to combat child sexual abuse materials) is not shouldered by the police alone, but shared by society as a whole to raise public awareness and prevent such incidents from continuing to happen,” he added.

Reporting by Qistina Nadia Dzulqarnain, Alyaa Alhadjri, N Faizal Ghazali

ADUN SPEAKS | Meta must resolve indiscriminate account banning

Cops nab 20-year-old with thousands of child sexual abuse material

Cops nab 4, seize over 50k in child sex abuse material

'Community policing crucial in fighting threats of child sexual abuse material'

Urgent reform needed in social media regulations to protect kids: DAP MP