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‘Nineteen titles have already been flagged by the system for removal.’
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology is expanding beyond its intended purposes, with recent reports highlighting its potential for misuse. Already, AI has been implicated in confidence scams and the generation of spam content. Now, AI is being leveraged for censorship, as the school board of Mason City, Iowa, has begun using AI to identify potentially banned books in the district’s libraries ahead of the 2023/24 school year, according to the Globe Gazette.
The move comes after the Republican-controlled state legislature passed Senate File 496 (SF 496) in May, which imposed stricter regulations on the state’s education curriculum. Under the new law, books in school libraries and classrooms must be deemed “age appropriate” and cannot contain “descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act,” as stated in Iowa Code 702.17.
However, the task of reviewing every book in the district’s vast collection to ensure compliance with the new regulations is proving to be impractical. Bridgette Exman, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction at Mason City Community School District, acknowledged the challenge, stating, “It is simply not feasible to read every book and filter for these new requirements.”
To address this issue, the school district has turned to AI technology. The district first compiles a “master list” of potentially objectionable books from various sources, taking into account previous complaints of sexual content. The identified books are then scanned using AI software to determine if they contain depictions of sex.
So far, the AI has flagged 19 books for removal. Some of the titles include “Killing Mr. Griffin” by Lois Duncan, “Sold” by Patricia McCormick, and “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood.
While the use of AI in book censorship raises concerns about potential overreach and limitations on freedom of expression, Exman emphasized that the district is focused on complying with the law and establishing a defensible process. She stated, “Our goal here really is a defensible process.”
As the debate around the use of AI for censorship continues, it remains to be seen how this technology will shape the future of education and access to information.