Understanding Educators’ Perceptions of AI-generated Non-consensual Intimate Imagery

Paper Title

Understanding Educators’ Perceptions of AI-generated Non-consensual Intimate Imagery

Publication Info

• Topic area: Ethical and social challenges of AI misuse in educational settings
• Keywords: AI ethics, generative AI, non-consensual intimate imagery, AIG-NCII, educators, schools, cyberbullying, digital literacy, policy-making, student wellbeing

Background and Problem

• Problem / challenge: The rise of AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery (AIG-NCII) poses significant psychological, social, and ethical challenges, particularly in educational settings. Schools lack clear policies, training, and resources to address this issue effectively.
• Significance: AIG-NCII can harm students’ moral development, social relationships, mental health, and academic performance, while also threatening educators’ professional reputations. Addressing this issue is critical for fostering safe learning environments and ethical AI use.
• Motivation and related work: Prior research has explored public perceptions of AIG-NCII and technical/legal frameworks but has not focused on educators’ perspectives or the infrastructural and procedural needs in schools. This study seeks to fill that gap by amplifying educators’ voices and identifying actionable measures.

Solution

• Proposed approach: Interview study with 20 U.S. educators to explore their attitudes, experiences, and practices related to AIG-NCII, and identify gaps in current school responses and educational frameworks.
• Novelty:
  1. First qualitative study focusing on educators’ perceptions of AIG-NCII in schools.
  2. Identification of systemic challenges and gaps in policies, training, and resources.
  3. Recommendations for multi-stakeholder strategies involving educators, parents, policymakers, and technology companies.
• Procedure and key techniques:
  • Recruitment via social media and personal networks; diverse sample across gender, race, and geography.
  • Semi-structured interviews exploring concerns, practices, proposed measures, and implementation challenges.
  • Thematic analysis of transcripts to identify patterns and themes.

Results

• Concrete findings:
  • 8 participants reported AIG-NCII cases in their schools; most incidents involved male students targeting female classmates or educators.
  • Educators expressed concerns about students’ moral decline, reputational harm, emotional distress, and academic struggles.
  • Few schools had clear policies; most lacked training, reporting protocols, or preventive measures.
• Advantage over baselines: Highlights educators’ unique perspectives as witnesses and potential mitigators of AIG-NCII, addressing gaps in prior research focused on technical or legal solutions.
• Experiments / evaluation:
  • Interviews with 20 educators across 10 states; thematic analysis identified 143 codes in 21 themes.
  • Participants ranged in age from 25 to 63, with an average of 7.35 years of teaching experience.
• Limitations and future work:
  • Findings may not generalize to educators unaware of AIG-NCII or to non-U.S. contexts.
  • Data relies on self-reported perceptions; no verification of specific cases or policy documents.
  • Future research should explore larger-scale surveys, interdisciplinary workshops, and cultural differences.

Summary

This study investigates educators’ perceptions of AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery (AIG-NCII) in schools, highlighting its psychological, social, and ethical impacts on students and educators. Findings reveal significant gaps in school policies, training, and resources, with educators calling for comprehensive AI ethics education, clear reporting protocols, and multi-stakeholder collaboration. Recommendations include curriculum design for digital ethics, parental involvement, knowledge-sharing platforms, and accountability frameworks. By amplifying educators’ voices, the research contributes to HCI discussions on generative AI misuse and offers actionable strategies for protecting young people in educational contexts.