AI-Powered Fake Pornography Surges, Targeting Women and Teens
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has led to an alarming increase in the production of fake pornographic images and videos. This disturbing trend is facilitated by the availability of affordable and user-friendly AI tools that can manipulate photos and videos to create explicit content. These tools can either undress individuals in photographs by analyzing their bodies or seamlessly swap faces into explicit videos.
According to industry analyst Genevieve Oh, the top 10 websites hosting AI-generated pornographic photos have seen a staggering 290% increase since 2018. These websites not only feature celebrities and political figures but also ordinary teenage girls, whose images are being exploited by malicious actors for the purpose of shaming, extortion, or fulfilling private fantasies.
Unfortunately, victims of this type of abuse have limited recourse. Currently, there is no federal law specifically addressing deepfake porn, and only a few states have introduced regulations. President Biden’s recent executive order on AI encourages, but does not require, companies to label AI-generated content as such.
Legal experts raise concerns about the lack of copyright protection for personal likenesses in AI-generated images, as these images draw from vast datasets consisting of millions of photos. Tiffany Li, a law professor at the University of San Francisco, describes this as a serious problem that needs to be addressed.
The proliferation of AI-generated explicit content poses a particular risk to women and teenagers, many of whom are unprepared for such visibility. A study by Sensity AI, a deepfake monitoring company, found that 96% of deepfake images are pornographic, with 99% of these targeting women.
Cases like that of Miriam Al Adib Mendiri’s daughter highlight the impact of AI-generated nudifying apps. In this instance, local boys used clothed photos from social media profiles to create fake nude pictures, causing distress and humiliation.
The availability of open-source AI tools further exacerbates the problem, as they allow amateur developers to adapt the technology for malicious purposes. These apps often employ referral programs that incentivize users to share AI-generated photos on social media in exchange for financial rewards.
An analysis by Genevieve Oh reveals that over 415,000 AI-generated porn images have been uploaded to the top 10 websites this year, accumulating nearly 90 million views. Additionally, AI-generated porn videos have experienced a significant surge in popularity, with more than 143,000 added in 2023 and over 4.2 billion views.
The FBI has warned about the growing trend of sexual extortion, where scammers demand payment or explicit photos to prevent the distribution of sexual images. While it is unclear how many of these images are AI-generated, cases of sextortion have seen a 149% increase since 2019, affecting over 26,800 individuals.
The lack of legal framework and copyright protection, coupled with the ease of access to AI tools, has created a concerning environment for the spread of fake pornographic content. It is crucial for authorities to address these issues and develop effective regulations to protect individuals from the harmful consequences of AI-powered pornography.
