A high school athletic director in the Baltimore area, Dazhon Darien, was arrested for creating a racist and antisemitic audio clip using artificial intelligence software to impersonate the school’s principal, Eric Eiswert. The fabricated recording, which included derogatory comments about Black kids, was posted on Instagram in an attempt to smear the principal. As a result, Mr. Eiswert received threats to his safety, was placed on administrative leave, and the school district launched an investigation. Mr. Darien is now facing charges for disrupting school operations and stalking the principal, and the Baltimore County case highlights the escalating abuse of A.I. in schools.
Schools across the United States have been dealing with deepfake incidents involving students using A.I. to create fake images of their peers, but the Baltimore County case demonstrates a new A.I. risk targeting educators and district leaders. The fast spread of generative A.I. tools has outpaced school protections and state laws, raising concerns about the potential for deepfake revenge slander to harm school officials and students. Baltimore County officials are urging community leaders to address how this technology can be abused and to protect individuals from its harmful effects.
The police account of the Baltimore County case revealed that Mr. Darien developed a grievance against Mr. Eiswert after the principal began investigating him for authorizing a payment under false pretenses. Mr. Darien used district internet services to search for A.I. tools and sent a deepfake audio clip impersonating the principal to himself and other employees at the high school. The recording was then shared with news organizations, the N.A.A.C.P., and a student who spread it on social media, leading to widespread outrage and calls for Mr. Eiswert to be fired.
The deepfake audio had a significant impact on Pikesville High School, causing trust issues among families, teachers, and administrators. Parents and students flooded the school with calls, teachers feared recording devices may have been planted on campus, and the police increased their presence to address safety concerns. Mr. Eiswert received harassing messages and threats of violence, prompting authorities to provide safety monitoring for his protection. Despite the mounting pressure and condemnation on social media, officials urged the public to withhold judgment until a fair investigation was conducted.
Two outside experts who analyzed the recording for the Baltimore County Police Department confirmed that it was manipulated, containing traces of A.I.-generated content with human editing. The incident highlights the potential dangers of deepfake technology in spreading disinformation and causing harm to individuals. The case underscores the need for increased awareness and safeguards to protect against A.I. abuse targeting schools and educators nationwide.Officials are calling for a broader look at how this technology can be used and abused to prevent further incidents of deepfake revenge slander in educational settings.
