Despite the guidelines of the product discouraging such content, sexually altered images of Taylor Swift were widely shared on Twitter this month.
These modified images, likely created using artificial intelligence, depicted the music icon in explicit and sexually suggestive situations.
According to reports from US media, the posts containing these images amassed over 27 million views and 260,000 likes in just 19 hours before the responsible accounts were suspended.
The official policy of X explicitly forbids the dissemination of deceptive or altered media that could deceive or harm individuals.
Both X and Swift’s representatives have been contacted by The Independent for statements regarding the issue.
Swift’s supporters, along with others, voiced their dismay at the “highly sexist” nature of the images and the delayed removal process.
Ben Decker, the director of the research firm Memetica, pointed out the misuse of AI technology in this context, underscoring the inadequate safeguards to prevent such occurrences.
Decker also mentioned, “Social media platforms lack the necessary tools to adequately monitor and control such content.”
The images were also shared on various other social platforms including Reddit and Facebook.
In response to the situation, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced the deletion of the offensive content from its platforms and pledged to take action against the involved accounts.
A spokesperson from Meta stated, “We are actively monitoring the situation and will promptly delete any objectionable content that is brought to our attention.”
Additionally, reports from Mail indicate that the singer is considering legal action against the video platform responsible for hosting the images, citing personal reasons.
TikTok, in a recent announcement, imposed a ban on deepfakes involving private individuals and minors, mandating that all altered or synthetic content depicting real-life scenarios be clearly identified.
Moreover, Meta, in collaboration with adult websites like OnlyFans and Pornhub, employed the online tool “Take It Down” to empower users to report explicit content featuring themselves.
Sensity AI, a company specializing in fraud detection, revealed that more than 90% of deepfake content circulating online is produced using such technology.
Under the proposed revisions to the Online Safety Bill, individuals engaged in the distribution of deepfakes could potentially be subject to criminal charges, providing law enforcement with increased authority to combat such offenses.
Concurrently with the circulation of the modified images, an individual was apprehended twice within a three-day period for stalking the singer near her residence in New York City.
David Crowe from Seattle faced charges of stalking and harassment after being detained near Swift’s property following reports from concerned neighbors and security personnel.
