Exiled activists in the UK and Australia report AI-generated deepfake images and false sexualised material distributed to neighbours and communities, prompting police investigations
Exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have reported a disturbing campaign of harassment involving sexually explicit deepfake images and false advertisements that appear designed to intimidate and shame dissidents living abroad.
Activists including Carmen Lau, a senior advocacy associate now in the United Kingdom, and the family of former Hong Kong legislator Ted Hui in Australia have been targeted by letters and posters bearing AI-generated images purporting to depict them in sexually compromising situations, according to local authorities and media reports.
The harassment incidents emerged in late 2025, with letters posted from Macau delivered to Lau’s former neighbours in Maidenhead, England, containing fabricated sexualised images and text implying she worked as a sex worker.
Similar materials — including fabricated posters advertising sexual services involving Hui’s wife — were circulated in Adelaide, Australia, prompting police investigations into potential malicious communications and harassment offences.
Authorities in both countries have confirmed that digital forensics are under way, though no arrests have yet been announced as investigators seek to trace the origin of the materials.
The campaign is widely seen as part of a broader pattern of transnational repression against Hong Kong activists who fled the territory following the imposition of the national security law, which has led to arrest warrants and bounties issued against dozens of pro-democracy advocates.
British Member of Parliament Joshua Reynolds described the use of sexually explicit deepfakes as “grotesque transnational repression,” and urged clear condemnation and accountability from governments.
Local police and immigration officials have emphasised the importance of community safety and pledged full investigations.
Activists and observers note the troubling evolution in harassment tactics, with AI and deepfake technologies enabling the creation of realistic but fabricated imagery that can be distributed widely and anonymously.
This gendered dimension of harassment, particularly targeting women dissidents with sexually explicit content, has been described as a new escalation in digital intimidation that exploits personal data and technology to inflict reputational and psychological harm.
The campaigns have underscored gaps in legal frameworks for addressing AI-enabled harassment across borders, prompting calls from civil society and legislators for strengthened responses to protect exiled critics and their families.
Authorities in London and Adelaide continue to investigate, and host governments have publicly reiterated their commitment to safeguarding dissidents from foreign intimidation and harassment.
The incidents have amplified international discussions about how emerging digital tools can be misused against political activists and the need for robust protective measures in liberal democracies to deter and respond to such transnational harassment efforts.
Activists including Carmen Lau, a senior advocacy associate now in the United Kingdom, and the family of former Hong Kong legislator Ted Hui in Australia have been targeted by letters and posters bearing AI-generated images purporting to depict them in sexually compromising situations, according to local authorities and media reports.
The harassment incidents emerged in late 2025, with letters posted from Macau delivered to Lau’s former neighbours in Maidenhead, England, containing fabricated sexualised images and text implying she worked as a sex worker.
Similar materials — including fabricated posters advertising sexual services involving Hui’s wife — were circulated in Adelaide, Australia, prompting police investigations into potential malicious communications and harassment offences.
Authorities in both countries have confirmed that digital forensics are under way, though no arrests have yet been announced as investigators seek to trace the origin of the materials.
The campaign is widely seen as part of a broader pattern of transnational repression against Hong Kong activists who fled the territory following the imposition of the national security law, which has led to arrest warrants and bounties issued against dozens of pro-democracy advocates.
British Member of Parliament Joshua Reynolds described the use of sexually explicit deepfakes as “grotesque transnational repression,” and urged clear condemnation and accountability from governments.
Local police and immigration officials have emphasised the importance of community safety and pledged full investigations.
Activists and observers note the troubling evolution in harassment tactics, with AI and deepfake technologies enabling the creation of realistic but fabricated imagery that can be distributed widely and anonymously.
This gendered dimension of harassment, particularly targeting women dissidents with sexually explicit content, has been described as a new escalation in digital intimidation that exploits personal data and technology to inflict reputational and psychological harm.
The campaigns have underscored gaps in legal frameworks for addressing AI-enabled harassment across borders, prompting calls from civil society and legislators for strengthened responses to protect exiled critics and their families.
Authorities in London and Adelaide continue to investigate, and host governments have publicly reiterated their commitment to safeguarding dissidents from foreign intimidation and harassment.
The incidents have amplified international discussions about how emerging digital tools can be misused against political activists and the need for robust protective measures in liberal democracies to deter and respond to such transnational harassment efforts.
