Pennsylvania woman created deepfake images to get daughter's rivals kicked off cheer squad

[NewYorkExpress]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/pennsylvania-cheer-squad-mom-allegedly-cyberbullied-minors-deepfakes-officials-say-n1261055

A Pennsylvania woman is facing multiple harassment charges for allegedly creating deepfake images and videos and using them to anonymously cyberbully her daughter's cheer squad, according to authorities in Bucks County.

In charging documents, the Hilltown Township Police Department allege that Raffaela Spone, 50, harassed several of the staff and members of the Victory Vipers cheer squad in Doylestown.

After the first victim came forward alleging cyber harassment, several others came forward too, police said, and at least one victim received a message encouraging suicide.

Spone allegedly created digitally manipulated images and videos — known as deepfakes — that falsely showed her daughter's teammates drinking, vaping, and posing nude, all activities that would get them kicked off the squad.

Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub told NBC News on Sunday that the use of deepfake images was "one of the more disturbing aspects of this case, because it would seem to me this technology is available to anyone."

"I don't know mechanically how she was able to do it, but I can tell you that she's an ordinary citizen — I don't know that she has any more technological proficiency than your neighbor down the street," Weintraub said.

"It was an unsophisticated attempt, but nevertheless it was successful," Weintraub said.

[Lambsbread]

Yup, sounds like Bucks County alright.

[Samof94]

Yup, sounds like Bucks County alright.

The plot of the most depressing Bring It On movie, where characters have tryouts cancelled by Covid.

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Get rid of all the Karen definitions on Urban Dictionary and replace them with a picture of this lady.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Um, if she's digitally putting minor's faces on naked bodies, how is that not a felony?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Um, if she's digitally putting minor's faces on naked bodies, how is that not a felony?

US and UK pornography laws are quite different in regards to this. I know in the UK if a type of pornography is illegal (like child pornography or bestiality), it's illegal to fake that as well and claim it's a depiction of the banned activity. But in the US "faking" such things is not illegal*. Also nude photos of minors are not inherently considered child pornography or illegal in the US (although it does sound that the ones she used would be if they depicted actual minors.)

_{*Of course, one could argue that such things would usually fail the Miller Test and be considered "obscenity" and then illegal, but those laws are almost only used against pornographers mass producing such content for profit and conviction is very hit or miss.}

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Um, if she's digitally putting minor's faces on naked bodies, how is that not a felony?

US and UK pornography laws are quite different in regards to this. I know in the UK if a type of pornography is illegal (like child pornography or bestiality), it's illegal to fake that as well and claim it's a depiction of the banned activity. But in the US "faking" such things is not illegal*. Also nude photos of minors are not inherently considered child pornography or illegal in the US (although it does sound that the ones she used would be if they depicted actual minors.)

_{*Of course, one could argue that such things would usually fail the Miller Test and be considered "obscenity" and then illegal, but those laws are almost only used against pornographers mass producing such content for profit and conviction is very hit or miss.}

If this isn’t illegal in the US, it should be. I’d really like to see someone introduce a bill to that effect.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Um, if she's digitally putting minor's faces on naked bodies, how is that not a felony?

US and UK pornography laws are quite different in regards to this. I know in the UK if a type of pornography is illegal (like child pornography or bestiality), it's illegal to fake that as well and claim it's a depiction of the banned activity. But in the US "faking" such things is not illegal*. Also nude photos of minors are not inherently considered child pornography or illegal in the US (although it does sound that the ones she used would be if they depicted actual minors.)

_{*Of course, one could argue that such things would usually fail the Miller Test and be considered "obscenity" and then illegal, but those laws are almost only used against pornographers mass producing such content for profit and conviction is very hit or miss.}

If this isn’t illegal in the US, it should be. I’d really like to see someone introduce a bill to that effect.

Whether such a bill could pass Constitutional muster is a valid question.

[Damocles]

Sounds like my home state alright lol

[Coolface Sock #42069]

Um, if she's digitally putting minor's faces on naked bodies, how is that not a felony?

US and UK pornography laws are quite different in regards to this. I know in the UK if a type of pornography is illegal (like child pornography or bestiality), it's illegal to fake that as well and claim it's a depiction of the banned activity. But in the US "faking" such things is not illegal*. Also nude photos of minors are not inherently considered child pornography or illegal in the US (although it does sound that the ones she used would be if they depicted actual minors.)

_{*Of course, one could argue that such things would usually fail the Miller Test and be considered "obscenity" and then illegal, but those laws are almost only used against pornographers mass producing such content for profit and conviction is very hit or miss.}

If this isn’t illegal in the US, it should be. I’d really like to see someone introduce a bill to that effect.

Whether such a bill could pass Constitutional muster is a valid question.

I don’t see how it would be any more of an issue than revenge porn laws.

[Tender Branson]

This is something people from Atlas would do with my pictures (and they actually did in the past).

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

This is something people from Atlas would do with my pictures (and they actually did in the past).

You mean that wasn't your actual basement?

[Proud Houstonian]

She wants to help her daughter but took it too far