Police investigate deepfake nude photos of Singapore Sports School students created by peers

Singapore Police have opened an investigation into a case involving deepfake nude images of students at the Singapore Sports School (SSP).

These images, allegedly created and shared by other students, have raised serious concerns about privacy, safety, and digital abuse within the school community. The school confirmed awareness of the situation, calling it a “harmful behaviour” issue and affirming that it has already taken disciplinary measures against those involved.

Responding to questions from Channel News Asia (CNA), SSP’s principal, Ong Kim Soon, stated on Tuesday (12 Nov) that the school had been informed of the incident and had acted by launching an internal investigation while filing a police report.

“The school does not condone such harmful behaviour,” said Ong, reiterating that all necessary steps were being taken to address the matter. He further added that ongoing police investigations limited the school’s ability to release further details at this time.

CNA reports that the deepfake images created were of a highly sensitive nature, involving digitally manipulated nude photos of some SSP students.

Police officials confirmed that a report was filed and that they are actively investigating the situation, though the nature and extent of the images have not been disclosed.

Affected students’ parents were also contacted, with some making separate police reports following the revelation of the images’ existence.

The school sent a message to parents via WhatsApp, informing them that police had been provided with website links associated with the case and were collaborating to request the removal of images from these sites.

To support the investigation, all students suspected of involvement in the creation and distribution of these images have been interviewed by authorities.

Their mobile phones and other electronic devices have been confiscated to facilitate forensic examination, according to the school’s communication.

Disciplinary action has been taken against those implicated, including caning, bans from sports trips, and suspension from school activities, training, and boarding.

The extent of these measures was confirmed by the father of one victim, who reported being informed of the situation on Monday, following communication with his daughter’s mentor.

The parent, who later met with his daughter’s teacher, stated that the case traces back to June, when a group of boys allegedly began generating and sharing deepfake nude images of female classmates.

The parent expressed frustration over the scope of the incident, indicating that a “large group of boys” appeared to be involved, rather than just a few isolated individuals.

He reported that two groups had formed within the student body: one group responsible for creating the photos and another for circulating them. According to him, the images were primarily shared through WhatsApp groups, underscoring how digital platforms had been exploited in this case.

In addition to the disciplinary measures already in place, the concerned father has called for stronger action from SSP, including potential expulsion for the students involved.

He highlighted the need to prioritise the safety and well-being of female students, stating, “The girls will not feel safe with [the perpetrators] lurking in school.”

SSP, which officially opened in 2004, operates a specialised academic and athletic curriculum designed to train and develop students into national athletes.

With students ranging from ages 13 to 18, the school typically selects attendees through Singapore’s Direct School Admission (DSA) system.

As police continue their investigation, SSP has committed to collaborating closely with authorities to resolve the matter.

Meanwhile, efforts to remove the images from online platforms are underway, providing a measure of support for the affected students and their families.