Following the millions of views that sexual Photoshopped images of Taylor Swift received online, US lawmakers have advocated for new legislation that would make the creation of deepfake images illegal.
The pictures were shared on several social media platforms, such as Telegram and X.
Representative Joe Morelle of the US described the photo’s dissemination as “appalling”.
In a statement, X claimed that it was “appropriately taking actions” against the accounts that were disseminating the photographs in addition to “actively removing” them.
It further stated: “We’re closely monitoring the situation to ensure that any further violations are immediately addressed, and the content is removed.”
Many of the pictures seem to have been taken down after they were published, however one of Swift was reportedly seen 47 million times before it was removed.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in “deepfakes” to create videos of people by altering their features or bodies. According to a study conducted in 2023, artificial intelligence has contributed to a 550% increase in the production of doctored photos since 2019.
While there have been state-level initiatives to address the issue, there are presently no federal laws prohibiting the distribution or production of deepfake photographs.
