Radnor detectives are investigating reports of video by an unknown actor that used AI manipulation to exploit a handful of female students.
“We’re trying to work through the rumor mill vs. reality,” Radnor Police Chief Chris Flanagan tells SAVVY. His department received multiple reports from Radnor High School parents about a video apparently created with Movely, an app labelled 18+, Flanagan said. The app uses AI and can make static images move in highly suggestive ways. The video depicted a small group of friends, the parents reported.
Police have not seen the video. “We don’t have a copy of the video or any images associated with it,” the Chief said. He urges anyone with information or images to contact Radnor detectives via the website or by phone.
“This has been the rumor mill exploding vs. reality,” Flanagan said.
Meanwhile, the high school has launched its own investigation.
“We understand how upsetting and serious this situation is, and we want to assure you that we are treating it with the highest level of urgency and care,” wrote Radnor High School Principal Joseph MacNamara in a letter to parents. “Please know that all families of students who may have been affected have already been contacted and provided information about available supports.”
High school parents were notified Monday; a notice was circulated to elementary and middle school parents Tuesday. A source tells SAVVY that high school students were telling parents about the video as early as last Wednesday afternoon.
Governor Shapiro recently signed a law that creates new criminal penalties for anyone who uses AI to produce non-consensual “forged digital likenesses,” including deep fakes or voice clones.
On the federal level, the Take it Down Act enacted last May makes it a federal crime to knowingly publish non-consensual, intimate visual depictions with AI-generated content.
Hi there, I’d love to suggest reconsidering the headline. As written, “a video fake showing a handful of female students acting ‘inappropriately’” unintentionally places the focus and the implied blame on the girls, even though they’re the ones who were targeted and harmed.
Because the video was allegedly fabricated, the girls did not “act” in any way. That phrasing ties them to behavior that never occurred and risks reinforcing stigma toward the victims instead of making clear that the wrongdoing lies entirely with the person who created and circulated the fake.
A more accurate and trauma-informed headline would center the act — the creation and distribution of a manipulated video of minors — rather than the girls depicted in it. This helps protect the victims and avoids inadvertently assigning responsibility to them.
Thanks for giving this a look. I know headlines are tight, but a small shift in framing can prevent a lot of unintended harm.
I believe you’re referring to the story’s first sentence. I appreciate your bringing this to my attention – certainly would NEVER intend to imply blame of the victims. I made a few tweaks to the sentence that I hope better shifts the focus. Thank you for the suggestion.
@concerned citizen: What a thoughtful comment that points out so beautifully how important framing is in these situations.
I noticed that both the Radnor High School Principal and the Chief of Police have used the word “rumor.” Yes, rumors will inevitably swirl around events like this, but there were multiple independent reports – to the school and Safe2Say – from those who witnessed these explicit sexualized images of minors firsthand. The existence of the video is NOT a rumor.
Unfortunately, this “rumor” framing by the principal and the chief of police suggests that the girls targeted in this event are reacting – or overreacting – to something that may not have happened. Again, it puts undue burden on the harmed minors. Subsequent press coverage of the principal’s unfortunately worded letter and the police investigation only amplifies this unwanted attention.
And the actor is NOT unknown. He is unnamed. May accountability prevail in a way that rebuilds trust and promotes healing.
I get the distinction – thank you for pointing that out. I can only report what people are willing to share – no one has told me the actor is known. If anyone would like to share information with me, please email me at [email protected]. Thanks again.
My apologies – my comment about the identity of the actor was certainly not directed at you and I should have been more careful with my wording.
I find it interesting that law enforcement seems to be distancing itself from a known event with a known perpetrator by calling the actor “unknown” and appearing to call into question the existence of a video by saying that they haven’t seen it or any images from it.
That’s why police routinely use forensic analysis to obtain deleted materials and communications. The police have all of the tools they need at their disposal to ensure a thorough investigation and sufficient basis to put those tools to use.
Let’s hope they do.
SHAME on Radnor High School for their framing of this “situation” as a simple rumor. The manipulated videos were seen by multiple students and reported to the school and administration. they were slow to act in the first place and even let the kid back into the school without looking into it fully, until they realized that was a bad look once police got involved. these girls are traumatized and this is going to haunt them for the rest of their lives. The optics of this are SO BAD not only for the school district becuase they’ve handled it so poorly. For EVERY girl who is currently in or is coming up through the radnor school system your handing (or lack thereof) of this situation tells them: you don’t matter. We won’t protect you. Radnor school district school board, ken bachelor, whoever else is listening, I hope you read this simple message: PROTECT OUR GIRLS!!!!
Thank you for filling in some blanks. I’m truly heartbroken and angry that something like this could happen to those girls. More and more, we, as consumers of digital media, must learn not trust what we see with our own eyes. It’s an extremely hard lesson to learn but a hard truth in today’s AI-infused world.