There is a new “magazine” on the Belgian market. Is called payboyalthough its mission is substantially different from the emblematic Playboy to which it refers. Among the pages of its online version there are images of women in a seductive attitude, but they are recreations made with artificial intelligence and they report the growing number of cases of sexual extortion among minors.

This is the latest communication action carried out by Child Focus, together with the creative agency VML, on November 18 on the occasion of the European Day against the Sexual Exploitation and Abuse of Minors. The objective of the children’s organization has been to warn young people of the danger of “sextortion.”

This practice consists of establishing a friendship, usually through social networks, and manipulating the victim to obtain intimate images, and then threatening to distribute them if they do not provide more images or money.
The organization has observed that the victims are mainly boys. This year, Child Focus claims to have opened more than 350 cases related to this issue, an alarming 130% increase compared to last year.

For this reason it has been created payboy an alleged publication in the style Playboy that has been made known through social networks. However, it does not present erotic content among its pages, but rather resources to warn young people about sextortion. Creativity has turned to artificial intelligence, because it is an increasingly common tool in sexual extortion, since it makes it difficult to identify criminals.

Hyperrealistic images, even animated ones, made with AI that speak the language of the victims are proliferating. In addition, criminals also use technology to create nude deepfakes, that is, sexually explicit images or videos, partially or completely fabricated from victims’ photos, which they then use to threaten them.

The action includes the creation of an online platform with interactive content, videos, testimonies and prevention tips, so that minors can learn to recognize this type of manipulation, protect themselves and seek help. All content is adapted to young people: it is short, visual and interactive.

So, among other things, victims of sextortion are advised to never pay, to take screenshots, to stop all communication with the attacker, and to talk to a trusted adult. Victims are also encouraged to contact Child Focus on the toll-free number 116 000, available 24/7.

“When it happens to them, young people tend to isolate themselves out of shame or fear of the consequences or the possible reactions of their loved ones.“, says Nel Broothaerts, Executive Director of Child Focus, in a statement. “Thanks to this online platform, ‘Payboy’, we want to strengthen the resilience of young people: helping them to recognize warning signs, react and know who to turn to”.

The campaign has had the collaboration of influencers and content creators who have shared quantitative data on the increase in cases of sexual extortion in minors and have invited their communities to visit the initiative’s website.

The campaign pursues a similar objective to the one carried out earlier this year by Child Focus. “The unwearable wardrobe”, also created together with VML, created a capsule collection of garments that appear in deepnudesmaking visible that they become useless and unbearable for victims to carry as a result of a negative emotional association.

More info.: Payboy