Throughout their lives, women have to be on constant alert for their safety. Now, they get to be scared of their safety, online, as well. With the rise of artificial intelligence, women seem to be in more danger than ever. Now, mainstream platforms can provide the world with image-based sexual assault, putting emotional safety in the hands of those behind a computer screen.
Deepfake porn takes actual pornographic material and uses technology to put different faces on top of the video or picture. This has been happening for years, with some of the most famous cases being for Twitch streamers. In 2023, a documentary called “Another Body” was released showcasing the effects of a college student who finds deepfake pornography of herself circulating online. These creators don’t discriminate – viral deepfake videos often contain minors.
On Taylor Lautner and wife Lauren’s podcast The Squeeze, seventeen-year-old Marvel star Xochitl Gomez describes finding deepfake videos of herself on Twitter. This can happen to anyone. All it takes is one picture and a monster hiding behind a screen for a non-consensual pornographic video to ruin someone’s life. The emotional impact of these online crimes is lifelong. The majority of this porn is non-consensual.
With the recent viral deepfake porn featuring pop icon Taylor Swift, is the world ready to say enough is enough?
In the videos, deepfake creators depict violent videos of Swift being sexually assaulted. These videos were easily accessible to the public through X, formally Twitter. Millions saw and shared the viral content depicting violent sexual activities and assault against Swift. After days, the videos got removed, but the effects will linger on forever.
Young, impressionable youth have consumed media of the world’s biggest pop star getting raped, additionally seeing comments in support of the videos. For women who have experienced this type of assault, these videos bring up traumas and memories from their own assaults.
How can society break the violent trends against women when online forums make it increasingly easier to spread violent content through just a few clicks?
According to U.S. News and World Reports, there is no federal law that stops this type of content, leaving these behind-screen monsters free to expose vulnerable women in videos that can cause permanent humiliation and life-ruining effects. Some states have begun to take matters into their own hands, but it’s time for laws that cover a larger scale.
Justice needs to be served for those who have been victims of non-consensual deepfake pornography. It is important to continue to spread the word and keep the conversation going for the safety and well-being of women around the world. Future generations of women depend on it.
How else can we protect the safety of women? Let us know by tweeting us @VALLEYmag on X.
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