Deepfake P-rnography Targets Female Lawmakers

A recent report has revealed a disturbing trend: dozens of lawmakers, predominantly women, have become victims of deepfake pornography. The American Sunlight Project, an organization dedicated to combating disinformation, found over 35,000 instances of 26 lawmakers being featured on popular deepfake websites.

Nina Jankowicz, Executive Director of the American Sunlight Project, described the findings as "a stark and alarming reality."

She emphasized that female lawmakers are being targeted with AI-generated deepfake pornography at an alarming rate. This, she argued, is not merely a technological issue but a direct attack on women in leadership roles and on democracy itself.

Following the report, the group notified the affected members of Congress. Within 48 hours, content depicting 14 of these lawmakers was removed. For nine others, the content was either completely or largely removed but remained on landing pages or search result pages.

Jankowicz noted that while these lawmakers were able to leverage their positions to address the issue, many ordinary citizens, including minors, who fall victim to deepfake abuse lack the resources to recover. She shared her own experience as a target of such content, emphasizing the need for government protection and legal recourse for victims.

The U.S. Senate has recently taken steps to address this growing problem. The Senate passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which criminalizes non-consensual pornography, including AI-generated deepfakes, and requires platforms to remove such content upon notification.

Additionally, the Senate passed the DEFIANCE Act, creating a federal civil remedy for victims of deepfake pornography. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who introduced the DEFIANCE Act in the House, has spoken publicly about her own experiences as a target of AI-generated deepfake pornography.

These legislative efforts represent a significant step forward in combating the proliferation of deepfake pornography.

However, as technology continues to advance, it is likely that new challenges will emerge. The ongoing battle to protect individuals from the harmful effects of deepfakes will require continued vigilance and innovation from lawmakers, technology companies, and civil society.