Australian activist targeted with AI-generated violent imagery on X
Caitlin Roper, a campaign manager at Australian activist group Collective Shout, was subjected to a sustained campaign of AI-generated violent threats and deepfake sexual imagery on X beginning in late 2024 and intensifying throughout 2025. The attacks used generative AI tools to create highly personalised, realistic depictions of graphic violence, reportedly utilising Grok to research her location and daily habits, while X's content moderation failed to remove or action the material.
What happened
Beginning in late 2024 and intensifying throughout 2025, Caitlin Roper, a campaign manager at Australian activist group Collective Shout, was subjected to a sustained campaign of harassment on X involving AI-generated violent threats and deepfake sexual imagery.
Attackers used generative AI to create highly personalised, realistic depictions of graphic violence including flaying, decapitation, and burning. In some images, Roper was depicted wearing a specific blue floral dress she owned, based on photos found online. Harassers reportedly used Grok to research her physical location and daily habits, such as where she bought coffee.
The abuse also included rape threats, death threats, images of weapons with descriptions of intended use, deepfake pornography, threats to her family and children, and distribution of her personal information. X's content moderation initially ruled many graphic images as not violating platform policies, while the block function was weakened, allowing persistent stalkers to continue surveilling her from multiple accounts.
Reported impact
The psychological impact was heightened by the high degree of personalisation and the creation of highly realistic imagery depicting Roper's death and torture. For Roper, the incident represents an 'exhaustion tactic' designed to drive women and activists out of the public sphere.
The abuse has been condemned by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, Reem Alsalem, who described it as 'horrific' and some of the most serious online violence against women human rights defenders she had seen in a long time.
Index analysis
The incident was facilitated by rapid AI proliferation and systemic failures in corporate accountability. Despite claims of safety filters, generative AI tools including Grok were successfully manipulated to bypass 'not-safe-for-work' (NSFW) filters to create violent, non-consensual imagery.
AI-powered search tools reduced the 'cost of harassment,' allowing bad actors to synthesise personal data and public photos into threatening content in seconds. Current legal and platform frameworks are ill-equipped to handle the speed and volume of AI-generated abuse.
Governance controls
X's content moderation policies were criticised for being inconsistent, with many graphic images depicting Roper's death initially ruled as not violating platform policies. The block function was weakened, allowing persistent stalkers to continue surveilling her from multiple accounts.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.