Okay, I understand. Please provide the news article text you want me to analyze and transform. I will adhere to all the specified phases and guidelines to deliver a verified, structured, and human-written HTML output.I am ready when you are.
Here’s a breakdown of teh information presented in the text,focusing on the key details and narrative:
Main Topic: The consequences of sending students to choice schools,and the negative impact it can have on their well-being and academic progress.
Key Points:
* A girl’s experience: after being sent to an alternative school, a girl started skipping meals and struggled with depression and anxiety.She couldn’t focus on her online schoolwork.
* A boy’s experience: A boy was sent to alternative school, and his responsibilities (chores) were neglected. His case was appealed,but the delay meant he coudl have returned to his original school on probation.
* Negative Outcomes: The text highlights how alternative school placement can lead to:
* Skipping meals
* Depression and anxiety
* Inability to concentrate
* Failure to complete schoolwork
* neglect of responsibilities
Image Description:
The image shows a school bus carrying children at the end of the school day at Sixth Ward Middle School in Thibodaux, Louisiana, on December 11, 2025. It’s a photo by Stephen Smith (AP Photo).
Overall Impression:
The text paints a concerning picture of the potential downsides of alternative schooling. It suggests that while intended as a corrective measure, it can sometimes exacerbate problems and negatively affect a student’s mental and academic health. The story is presented as a cautionary tale, highlighting the need for careful consideration of the consequences of such placements.
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The Rising Threat of AI-Powered Harassment: deepfakes and Digital Assault
November 3, 2025, 09:40:59 AM PST
The evolving Landscape of Online Abuse
Online harassment has taken a disturbing turn with the advent of readily available artificial intelligence (AI) tools. What was once limited to written insults and basic photo manipulation is now evolving into highly realistic, personalized deepfake videos and audio, creating a new level of psychological harm and blurring the lines between reality and fabrication.
The ease with which these malicious creations can be generated is alarming. Previously, crafting convincing fake imagery and videos demanded important technical skill and time. now, with just a single photograph and malicious intent, anyone can produce deeply unsettling content in minutes.
Experts Weigh In: A New Era of Digital Danger
Experts are sounding the alarm about the implications of this technology. David Maimon, a computer science professor at the University of Illinois, describes this as “the next step in AI-driven harassment,” emphasizing how the distinction between fantasy and real danger is becoming increasingly unclear for victims. University of Illinois researchers have been studying the impact of online disinformation for years.
Katie Kleeman, director of research at the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), notes that the *method* of harassment isn’t new, but the *way* it’s happening is.ODIHR has long been involved in monitoring and combating human rights violations, including those occurring online. “It’s always been part of the playbook,” Kleeman states, “what’s changing is how it’s happening.”
Hany Farid, a professor at the UC Berkeley School of Information, offers a especially stark assessment: “We will find exciting ways to use tech – and horrific ways to abuse artificial intelligence.” UC Berkeley’s School of Information is a leading center for research on the societal impacts of technology.
Why AI Harassment Is So Terrifying: Three Key Factors
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The Illusion of Reality
The psychological impact of deepfake violence is profound.While written insults can be dismissed, witnessing a fabricated video depicting violence against oneself triggers a primal fear response in the brain. Research in neuroscience demonstrates that the brain processes realistic visual stimuli as if they are actually happening, even when consciously known to be false. Studies on the neurological effects of visual deception highlight this phenomenon.
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Personalization and Identity Assault
When deepfakes incorporate personal details – a victim’s voice, clothing, or the background of their home – the emotional damage intensifies. This transcends simple online cruelty and becomes a direct assault on one’s identity and digital safety. The inclusion of these personalized elements creates a sense of violation and helplessness.
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Paranoia and the Blurring of Lines
Victims are often left in a state of constant anxiety, questioning whether the creator of the deepfake intends to escalate the harassment into real-world violence. This uncertainty fuels paranoia and erodes a sense of safety. The ambiguity surrounding the perpetrator’s motives adds another layer of psychological distress.
The Low Cost, High Impact Nature of the Threat
The accessibility of AI content generation tools dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for harassment. What once required specialized skills and considerable effort can now be achieved by virtually anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection. This democratization of malicious technology amplifies the potential for widespread abuse.
Several platforms now offer deepfake creation services, some even marketed as entertainment. However, these same tools can be easily repurposed for harmful purposes.
Hear’s a breakdown of the key points from the provided text,focusing on the concerns and proposed solutions regarding AI-driven influence operations:
The Problem:
* Chinese Company,GoLaxy,and AI-Powered profiling: A Chinese company,GoLaxy,is using AI to create detailed psychological profiles of individuals,including U.S.politicians (117 members of Congress) and thought leaders (2,000 Americans).
* Targeted Propaganda: These profiles are used to tailor propaganda and deliver it with precision, aiming to influence opinions.
* Past Operations: GoLaxy has allegedly already used these tactics in Hong Kong and Taiwan, targeting opposition voices with curated messages on X (formerly Twitter) to alter perceptions of events (like the 2020 national security law).
* Expanding Threat: The concern is that this AI-driven manipulation will expand beyond national leaders to target local officials, journalists, CEOs, and eventually, the general public, exacerbating existing societal divisions.
* Deepfakes: The rise of increasingly realistic deepfakes, undetectable by the human eye, adds another layer of complexity to the problem.
Proposed Solutions:
* White House AI Action Plan: The White house has a plan focused on improving deepfake detection.
* NIST Guidelines: Formalizing guidelines based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) “Guardians of Forensic Evidence” program. This would create trusted standards for evaluating deepfakes for use by courts, media, and apps.
* Forensic Tools: Utilizing forensic tools to detect subtle giveaways in AI-produced videos. The field of deepfake detection is rapidly evolving.
* Distribution Channel Analysis: Investigating how deepfakes are spread can definately help determine their authenticity.
* Industry Coordination: Washington needs to work with tech companies, notably social media platforms, to address the issue.
In essence, the article highlights a growing threat of AI-powered disinformation campaigns originating from foreign actors and proposes a multi-faceted approach involving government action, technological innovation, and vigilance to mitigate the risks.
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