Unethical AI Applications Unveiled: Deepfake Adult Content and the Immediate Demand for Intervention
In the digital age, the issue of deepfake pornography has become a pressing concern. This form of sexual gender-based cyberviolence is not only a violation of privacy but also a threat to individuals' dignity and safety. The fight against deepfake pornography requires a collective effort from all stakeholders, including lawmakers, tech companies, and the general public.
Technological Countermeasures
Efforts to combat deepfake pornography are focused on three main areas: technological countermeasures, legal frameworks, and public awareness campaigns. In the realm of technology, regulations such as the EU’s AI Act mandate transparency and detectability measures. This means that providers and deployers of AI systems generating synthetic audio, image, or video, including deepfakes, must mark and disclose artificially generated content in a machine-readable and human-detectable manner. In the U.S., initiatives also focus on proactively screening AI training datasets to remove known child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Legal Frameworks
Legal efforts are underway across jurisdictions. In the U.S., laws have been introduced to criminalize the non-consensual creation and distribution of pornographic deepfakes. For example, California’s Assembly Bills No. 602 and No. 730 (2019) provide civil causes of action against creators of explicit deepfake content without consent and prohibit malicious deepfake media targeting political candidates shortly before elections. Federal bills like the Deepfakes Accountability Act seek to enhance protections against malicious deepfake use, including threats to national security.
Public Awareness Campaigns and Broader Social Impact
Public discourse increasingly recognizes pornographic deepfakes as a violation of women's rights and a form of sexual gender-based cyberviolence. Comprehensive public awareness campaigns are crucial to educate individuals about the existence, dangers, and ethical implications of deepfakes. Promoting media literacy skills can empower individuals to critically evaluate digital content and identify potential deepfakes.
Taking Action
Individuals can contribute to the fight against deepfake pornography in several ways. Reporting suspected deepfake pornography to relevant authorities and social media platforms is essential. Supporting organisations like The Witness, Cyber Civil Rights Initiative, and Access Now, which are dedicated to fighting online abuse and protecting victims of deepfakes, is another way to make a difference. Staying informed about the latest developments in deepfake technology and the evolving methods used to combat it is also crucial.
In sum, combating deepfake pornography involves advancing AI transparency and detection technologies, strengthening legal frameworks to protect individuals and prosecute offenders, and raising public awareness of the harms posed by these synthetic media, especially concerning violations of privacy and gender-based violence, with heightened attention to protecting children from AI-generated sexual abuse content.
- In the digital age, the use of artificial-intelligence (AI) software for generating deepfake pornography poses a threat to individuals' privacy and dignity, necessitating the implementation of technological countermeasures.
- The EU's AI Act mandates transparency and detectability measures for AI systems that generate synthetic audio, image or video, including deepfakes, to ensure proper marking and disclosure of artificially generated content.
- Public awareness campaigns, such as promoting media literacy skills, are crucial for empowering individuals to critically evaluate digital content, identify potential deepfakes, and recognize them as a form of sexual gender-based cyberviolence.
- Collaborative efforts in the fight against crime and justice, such as reporting deepfake pornography to authorities and supporting organizations dedicated to fighting online abuse and protecting deepfake victims, are essential in fostering a safer digital environment.
