The rise of AI tools has made it easier to create and share fake, harmful sexual images without consent. However, those affected by this type of abuse have options to protect themselves. (d3sign/Moment RF/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
In today’s digital world, AI has made it possible for anyone to become a victim of deepfake porn, according to attorney Carrie Goldberg. She emphasizes that all it takes is a person’s image to become a target for this form of online harassment, even if they have never shared explicit photos.
Deepfake porn, where artificial intelligence is used to superimpose a person's face onto explicit images, is a growing issue. While nonconsensual explicit content, like revenge porn, has existed since the internet's early days, the power of AI has made it easier than ever for anyone to be exploited. AI tools can create fake sexual images using a person's face, making it seem as though they are in compromising situations they never consented to.
In the past year, high-profile individuals, such as Taylor Swift and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have been targets of AI-generated explicit content. Even high school girls have not been spared from this disturbing trend. For those discovering that they or their loved ones have been victimized by deepfake porn, the shock and stress can be overwhelming, especially for young people who might struggle to understand the internet's vast and often cruel nature.
However, there are ways to protect oneself and take action. Goldberg, who specializes in helping victims of online harassment, advises that the first step for anyone affected by AI-generated sexual images is to screenshot them. This may seem counterintuitive, but having the evidence is essential for taking legal action or reporting the content.
Once the evidence is collected, the next step is to request that the images be removed from the platforms where they are posted. Companies like Google, Meta, and Snapchat offer removal requests, but it can take time, and not all platforms cooperate. Organizations such as StopNCII.org and Take It Down can help victims request removal across multiple sites, though not all social media companies participate in these initiatives.
In a rare show of bipartisan support, U.S. senators have introduced legislation to make it a crime to create or share deepfake porn and require social media platforms to remove such content when notified by the victim. This initiative, led by Senators Ted Cruz and Amy Klobuchar, aims to protect individuals from this kind of harassment.
Despite these efforts, the fight against deepfake porn remains complicated, as laws vary from state to state. In some places, there are no criminal laws that protect adults from AI-generated explicit images. For child victims, these images fall under laws related to child sexual abuse material.
Goldberg stresses that while victims have limited ways to prevent such incidents, the responsibility also falls on individuals to behave with decency in the digital world. While we can never be entirely safe from the risks of living online, it's up to each of us to protect and respect others, creating a safer digital environment for everyone.
