Wikipedia

Deepfake pornography

Deepfake pornography,or simplyfake pornography,is a type of syntheticpornographythat is created via altering already-existing photographs or video by applyingdeepfaketechnology to the images of the participants. The use of deepfake porn has sparked controversy because it involves the making and sharing of realistic videos featuring non-consenting individuals, typically female celebrities, and is sometimes used forrevenge porn.Efforts are being made to combat these ethical concerns through legislation and technology-based solutions.

History

edit

The term "deepfake" was coined in 2017 on aRedditforum where users shared altered pornographic videos created using machine learning algorithms. It is a combination of the word "deep learning", which refers to the program used to create the videos, and "fake" meaning the videos are not real.[1]

Deepfake porn was originally created on a small individual scale using a combination ofmachine learning algorithms,computer vision techniques, andAI software.The process began by gathering a large amount of source material (including both images and videos) of a person's face, and then using a deep learning model to train aGenerative Adversarial Networkto create a fake video that convincingly swaps the face of the source material onto the body of a porn performer. However, the production process has significantly evolved since 2018, with the advent of several public apps that have largely automated the process.[2]

Deepfake pornography is sometimes confused withfake nude photography,but the two are mostly different. Fake nude photography typically uses non-sexual images and merely makes it appear that the people in them are nude.

Notable cases

edit

Deepfake technology has been used to create non-consensual and pornographic images and videos of famous women. One of the earliest examples occurred in 2017 when a deepfake pornographic video ofGal Gadotwas created by a Reddit user and quickly spread online. Since then, there have been numerous instances of similar deepfake content targeting other female celebrities, such asEmma Watson,Natalie Portman,andScarlett Johansson.[3]Johansson spoke publicly on the issue in December 2018, condemning the practice but also refusing legal action because she views the harassment as inevitable.[4]

Rana Ayyub

edit

In 2018,Rana Ayyub,an Indian investigative journalist, was the target of an online hate campaign stemming from her condemnation of the Indian government, specifically her speaking out against the rape of an eight-year-old Kashmiri girl. Ayyub was bombarded with rape and death threats, and had doctored pornographic video of her circulated online.[5]In aHuffington Postarticle, Ayyub discussed the long-lasting psychological and social effects this experience has had on her. She explained that she continued to struggle with her mental health and how the images and videos continued to resurface whenever she took a high-profile case.[6]

Atrioc controversy

edit

In 2023,TwitchstreamerAtriocstirred controversy when he accidentally revealed deepfake pornographic material featuring female Twitch streamers while on live. The influencer has since admitted to paying for AI generated porn, and apologized to the women and his fans.[7][8]

Taylor Swift

edit
Main article:Taylor Swift deepfake pornography controversy

In January 2024, AI-generated sexually explicit images of American singerTaylor Swiftwere posted onX (formerly Twitter),and spread to other platforms such asFacebook,RedditandInstagram.[9][10][11]One tweet with the images was viewed over 45 million times before being removed.[12][10]A report from404 Mediafound that the images appeared to have originated from aTelegramgroup, whose members used tools such asMicrosoft Designerto generate the images, using misspellings and keyword hacks to work around Designer's content filters.[13][14]After the material was posted, Swift's fans posted concert footage and images to bury the deepfake images, and reported the accounts posting the deepfakes.[15]Searches for Swift's name were temporarily disabled onX,returning an error message instead.[16]Graphika,a disinformation research firm, traced the creation of the images back to a4chancommunity.[17][18]

A source close to Swift told theDaily Mailthat she would be considering legal action, saying, "Whether or not legal action will be taken is being decided, but there is one thing that is clear: These fake AI-generated images are abusive, offensive, exploitative, and done without Taylor's consent and/or knowledge."[15][19]

The controversy drew condemnation fromWhite House Press SecretaryKarine Jean-Pierre,[20]MicrosoftCEOSatya Nadella,[21]theRape, Abuse & Incest National Network,[22]andSAG-AFTRA.[23]Several US politicians called for federal legislation against deepfake pornography.[24]Later in the month, US senatorsDick Durbin,Lindsey Graham,Amy KlobucharandJosh Hawleyintroduced a bipartisan bill that would allow victims to sue individuals who produced or possessed "digital forgeries" with intent to distribute, or those who received the material knowing it was made non-consensually.[25]

2024 Telegram deepfake scandal

edit

It emerged in South Korea in August 2024 that many teachers and female students were victims of deepfake images created by users who utilized AI technology. Journalist Ko Narin of Hankyoreh uncovered the deepfake images through Telegram chats.[26][27][28]On Telegram, group chats were created specifically for image-based sexual abuse of women, including middle and high school students, teachers, and even family members. Women with photos on social media platforms likeKakaoTalk,Instagram, and Facebook are often targeted as well. Perpetrators use AI bots to generate fake images, which are then sold or widely shared, along with the victims’ social media accounts, phone numbers, and KakaoTalk usernames. One Telegram group reportedly drew around 220,000 members, according to a Guardian report.

Investigations revealed numerous chat groups onTelegramwhere users, mainly teenagers, create and share explicit deepfake images of classmates and teachers. The issue came in the wake of a troubling history of digital sex crimes, notably the notoriousNth Room casein 2019. The Korean Teachers Union estimated that more than 200 schools had been affected by these incidents. Activists called for a "national emergency" declaration to address the problem.[29]South Korean police reported over 800 deepfake sex crime cases by the end of September 2024, a stark rise from just 156 cases in 2021, with most victims and offenders being teenagers.[30]

On September 21, 6,000 people gathered atMarronnier Parkin northeastern Seoul to demand stronger legal action against deepfake crimes targeting women.[31]On September 26, following widespread outrage over the Telegram scandal, South Korean lawmakers passed a bill criminalizing the possession or viewing of sexually explicit deepfake images and videos, imposing penalties that include prison terms and fines. Under the new law, those caught buying, saving, or watching such material could face up to three years in prison or fines up to 30 million won ($22,600). At the time the bill was proposed, creating sexually explicit deepfakes for distribution carried a maximum penalty of five years, but the new legislation would increase this to seven years, regardless of intent.[30]

By October 2024 it was estimated that "nudify" deep fake bots on Telegram were up to four million monthly users.[32][33]

Ethical considerations

edit

Deepfake CSAM

edit

Deepfake technology has made the creation ofchild sexual abuse material(CSAM), also often referenced to as child pornography, faster, safer and easier than it has ever been. Deepfakes can be used to produce new CSAM from already existing material or creating CSAM from children who have not been subjected to sexual abuse. Deepfake CSAM can, however, have real and direct implications on children including defamation, grooming, extortion, and bullying.[34]

edit

Most of deepfake porn is made with faces of people who did not consent to their image being used in such a sexual way. In 2023, Sensity, an identify verification company, has found that "96% of deepfakes are sexually explicit and feature women who didn’t consent to the creation of the content."[35]Oftentimes, deepfake porn is used to humiliate and harass primarily women in ways similar torevenge porn.

Combatting deepfake pornography

edit

Technical approach

edit

Deepfake detection has become an increasingly important area of research in recent years as the spread of fake videos and images has become more prevalent. One promising approach to detecting deepfakes is through the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), which have shown high accuracy in distinguishing between real and fake images. One CNN-based algorithm that has been developed specifically for deepfake detection is DeepRhythm, which has demonstrated an impressive accuracy score of 0.98 (i.e.successful at detecting deepfake images 98% of the time). This algorithm utilizes a pre-trained CNN to extract features from facial regions of interest and then applies a novel attention mechanism to identify discrepancies between the original and manipulated images. While the development of more sophisticated deepfake technology presents ongoing challenges to detection efforts, the high accuracy of algorithms like DeepRhythm offers a promising tool for identifying and mitigating the spread of harmful deepfakes.[1]

Aside from detection models, there are also video authenticating tools available to the public. In 2019, Deepware launched the first publicly available detection tool which allowed users to easily scan and detect deepfake videos. Similarly, in 2020 Microsoft released a free and user-friendly video authenticator. Users upload a suspected video or input a link, and receive a confidence score to assess the level of manipulation in a deepfake.

edit

As of 2023, there is a lack of legislation that specifically addresses deepfake pornography. Instead, the harm caused by its creation and distribution is being addressed by the courts through existing criminal and civil laws.Nudify Me: The Legal Implications of AI-Generated Revenge Porn

Victims of deepfake pornography often have claims forrevenge porn,tort claims, and harassment.[36]The legal consequences for revenge porn vary from state to state and country to country.[36][37]For instance, in Canada, the penalty for publishing non-consensual intimate images is up to 5 years in prison,[38]whereas in Malta it is a fine of up to €5,000.[39]

The "Deepfake Accountability Act" was introduced to the United States Congress in 2019 but has died in 2020.[40]It aimed to make the production and distribution of digitally altered visual media that was not disclosed to be such, a criminal offense. The title specifies that making any sexual, non-consensual altered media with the intent of humiliating or otherwise harming the participants, may be fined, imprisoned for up to 5 years or both.[37]A newer version of bill was introduced in 2021 which would have required any "advanced technological false personation records" to contain a watermark and an audiovisual disclosure to identify and explain any altered audio and visual elements. The bill also includes that failure to disclose this information with intent to harass or humiliate a person with an "advanced technological false personation record" containing sexual content "shall be fined under this title, imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or both." However this bill has since died in 2023.[41]

In the United Kingdom, theLaw Commission for England and Walesrecommended reform to criminalise sharing of deepfake pornography in 2022.[42]In 2023, the government announced amendments to the Online Safety Bill to that end. TheOnline Safety Act 2023amends theSexual Offences Act 2003to criminalise sharing intimate images that shows or "appears to show" another (thus including deepfake images) without consent.[43]In 2024, the Government announced that an offence criminalising the production of deepfake pornographic images would be included in the Criminal Justice Bill of 2024.[44][45]The Bill did not pass before Parliament was dissolved before thegeneral election.

Controlling the distribution

edit

While the legal landscape remains undeveloped, victims of deepfake pornography have several tools available to contain and remove content, including securing removal through a court order, intellectual property tools like theDMCAtakedown, reporting for terms and conditions violations of the hosting platform, and removal by reporting the content to search engines.[46]

Several major online platforms have taken steps to ban deepfake pornography. As of 2018,gfycat,reddit,Twitter,Discord,andPornhubhave all prohibited the uploading and sharing of deepfake pornographic content on their platforms.[47][48]In September of that same year,Googlealso added "involuntary synthetic pornographic imagery" to its ban list, allowing individuals to request the removal of such content from search results.[49]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^abGaur, Loveleen; Arora, Gursimar Kaur (2022-07-27),DeepFakes,New York: CRC Press, pp. 91–98,doi:10.1201/9781003231493-7,ISBN978-1-003-23149-3,archivedfrom the original on 2024-03-06,retrieved2023-04-20
  2. ^Azmoodeh, Amin, and Ali Dehghantanha. "Deep Fake Detection, Deterrence and Response: Challenges and Opportunities." arXiv.org, 2022.
  3. ^Roettgers, Janko (2018-02-21)."Porn Producers Offer to Help Hollywood Take Down Deepfake Videos".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-06-10.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  4. ^Harwell, Drew (2018-12-31)."Scarlett Johansson on fake AI-generated sex videos: 'Nothing can stop someone from cutting and pasting my image'".The Washington Post.ISSN0190-8286.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-06-13.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  5. ^Maddocks, Sophie (2020-06-04)."'A Deepfake Porn Plot Intended to Silence Me': exploring continuities between pornographic and 'political' deep fakes ".Porn Studies.7(4): 415–423.doi:10.1080/23268743.2020.1757499.ISSN2326-8743.S2CID219910130.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-03-06.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  6. ^Ayyub, Rana (2018-11-21)."I Was The Victim Of A Deepfake Porn Plot Intended To Silence Me".HuffPost UK.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-04-20.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  7. ^Middleton, Amber (2023-02-10)."A Twitch streamer was caught watching deepfake porn of women gamers. Sexual images made without consent can be traumatic and abusive, experts say — and women are the biggest victims".Insider.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-03-06.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  8. ^Patterson, Calum (2023-01-30)."Twitch streamer Atrioc gives tearful apology after paying for deepfakes of female streamers".Dexerto.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-09.Retrieved2023-06-14.
  9. ^Stokel-Walker, Chris (January 25, 2024)."The explicit AI-created images of Taylor Swift flooding the internet highlight a major problem with generative AI".Fast Company.Archivedfrom the original on January 26, 2024.RetrievedJanuary 26,2024.
  10. ^abBelanger, Ashley (2024-01-25)."X can't stop spread of explicit, fake AI Taylor Swift images".Ars Technica.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-25.Retrieved2024-01-25.
  11. ^Kelly, Samantha Murphy (2024-01-25)."Explicit, AI-generated Taylor Swift images spread quickly on social media | CNN Business".CNN.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-25.Retrieved2024-01-25.
  12. ^Weatherbed, Jess (2024-01-25)."Trolls have flooded X with graphic Taylor Swift AI fakes".The Verge.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-25.Retrieved2024-01-25.
  13. ^Maiberg, Emanuel; Cole ·, Samantha (2024-01-25)."AI-Generated Taylor Swift Porn Went Viral on Twitter. Here's How It Got There".404 Media.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-25.Retrieved2024-01-25.
  14. ^Belanger, Ashley (2024-01-29)."Drastic moves by X, Microsoft may not stop spread of fake Taylor Swift porn".Ars Technica.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-29.Retrieved2024-01-30.
  15. ^abZhang, Cat (2024-01-26)."The Swiftie Fight to Protect Taylor Swift From AI".The Cut.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-30.Retrieved2024-03-06.
  16. ^Spangler, Todd (2024-01-27)."X/Twitter Blocks Searches for 'Taylor Swift' as a 'Temporary Action to Prioritize Safety' After Deluge of Explicit AI Fakes".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-28.Retrieved2024-01-29.
  17. ^Hsu, Tiffany (February 5, 2024)."Fake and Explicit Images of Taylor Swift Started on 4chan, Study Says".The New York Times.Archivedfrom the original on February 9, 2024.RetrievedFebruary 10,2024.
  18. ^Belanger, Ashley (2024-02-05)."4chan daily challenge sparked deluge of explicit AI Taylor Swift images".Ars Technica.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-02-09.Retrieved2024-02-09.
  19. ^Specter, Emma (2024-01-26)."If Anyone Can Stop the Coming AI Hellscape, It's Taylor Swift".Vogue.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-02-06.Retrieved2024-03-06.
  20. ^"Taylor Swift searches blocked on X after fake explicit images of pop singer spread".The Guardian.Reuters.2024-01-29.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-29.Retrieved2024-01-29.
  21. ^Spangler, Todd (2024-01-26)."Taylor Swift Explicit AI-Generated Deepfakes Are 'Alarming and Terrible,' Microsoft CEO Says: 'We Have to Act'".Variety.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-28.Retrieved2024-01-29.
  22. ^Travers, Karen; Saliba, Emmanuelle (2024-01-27)."Fake explicit Taylor Swift images: White House is 'alarmed'".ABC News.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-28.Retrieved2024-01-29.
  23. ^Millman, Ethan (2024-01-26)."AI-Generated Explicit Taylor Swift Images 'Must Be Made Illegal,' Says SAG-AFTRA".Rolling Stone.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-29.Retrieved2024-01-29.
  24. ^Beaumont-Thomas, Ben (2024-01-27)."Taylor Swift deepfake pornography sparks renewed calls for US legislation".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-29.Retrieved2024-01-29.
  25. ^Montgomery, Blake (January 31, 2024)."Taylor Swift AI images prompt US bill to tackle nonconsensual, sexual deepfakes".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on January 31, 2024.RetrievedJanuary 31,2024.
  26. ^"Inside the deepfake porn crisis engulfing Korean schools".BBC News.
  27. ^"South Korea police launch probe into whether Telegram abets online sex crimes, Yonhap reports".reuters.
  28. ^"From spy cams to deepfake porn: fury in South Korea as women targeted again".The Guardian.
  29. ^"South Korea faces deepfake porn 'emergency'".BBC.Retrieved2024-09-27.
  30. ^ab"South Korea to criminalize watching or possessing sexually explicit deepfakes".CNN.2024-09-26.Retrieved2024-09-27.
  31. ^"Thousands rally in Seoul for stronger action against deepfake crimes".Korea Times.2024-09-22.Retrieved2024-09-27.
  32. ^Caramela, Sammi (2024-10-16)."'Nudify' Deepfake Bots on Telegram Are Up to 4 Million Monthly Users ".Retrieved2024-10-16.
  33. ^Burgess, Matt (2024-10-15)."Millions of People Are Using Abusive AI 'Nudify' Bots on Telegram".Wired.Retrieved2024-11-02.
  34. ^Kirchengast, T (2020). "Deepfakes and image manipulation: criminalisation and control".Information & Communications Technology Law.29(3): 308–323.doi:10.1080/13600834.2020.1794615.S2CID221058610.
  35. ^"Found through Google, bought with Visa and Mastercard: Inside the deepfake porn economy".NBC News.2023-03-27.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-11-29.Retrieved2023-11-30.
  36. ^ab"Nudify Me: The Legal Implications of AI-Generated Revenge Porn".JD Supra.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-03-14.Retrieved2024-03-14.
  37. ^abKirchengast, Tyrone (2020-07-16)."Deepfakes and image manipulation: criminalisation and control".Information & Communications Technology Law.29(3): 308–323.doi:10.1080/13600834.2020.1794615.ISSN1360-0834.S2CID221058610.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-26.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  38. ^Branch, Legislative Services (2023-01-16)."Consolidated federal laws of Canada, Criminal Code".laws-lois.justice.gc.ca.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-06-03.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  39. ^Mania, Karolina (2022)."Legal Protection of Revenge and Deepfake Porn Victims in the European Union: Findings From a Comparative Legal Study".Trauma, Violence, & Abuse.25(1): 117–129.doi:10.1177/15248380221143772.PMID36565267.S2CID255117036.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-01-26.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  40. ^"Defending Each and Every Person from False Appearances by Keeping Exploitation Subject to Accountability Act of 2019 (2019 - H.R. 3230)".GovTrack.us.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-12-03.Retrieved2023-11-27.
  41. ^"DEEP FAKES Accountability Act (2021 - H.R. 2395)".GovTrack.us.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-12-03.Retrieved2023-11-27.
  42. ^Hill, Amelia (2022-07-07)."Criminal reforms target 'deepfake' and nonconsensual pornographic imagery".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved2024-08-18.
  43. ^"Online Safety Act 2023: Section 188",legislation.gov.uk,The National Archives,2023 c. 50 (s. 188)
  44. ^"Government cracks down on 'deepfakes' creation".GOV.UK.Retrieved2024-08-18.
  45. ^"Creating sexually explicit deepfakes to become a criminal offence".BBC News.2024-04-16.Retrieved2024-08-18.
  46. ^"Un-Nudify Me: Removal Options for Deepfake Pornography Victims".JD Supra.Archivedfrom the original on 2024-03-14.Retrieved2024-03-14.
  47. ^Kharpal, Arjun (8 February 2018)."Reddit, Pornhub ban videos that use A.I. to superimpose a person's face over an X-rated actor".CNBC.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-04-10.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  48. ^Cole, Samantha (2018-01-31)."AI-Generated Fake Porn Makers Have Been Kicked Off Their Favorite Host".Vice.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-04-20.Retrieved2023-04-20.
  49. ^Harwell, Drew (2018-12-30)."Fake-porn videos are being weaponized to harass and humiliate women: 'Everybody is a potential target'".The Washington Post.ISSN0190-8286.Archivedfrom the original on 2019-06-14.Retrieved2023-04-20.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Deepfake_pornography&oldid=1257663868"