The X platform has taken decisive action to address a concerning situation involving the circulation of explicit AI-generated images of Taylor Swift on its platform.
In a statement provided by X’s head of business operations, Joe Benarroch, he emphasized that the measure taken is a “temporary action” with a primary focus on prioritizing user safety.
Upon attempting to search for Taylor Swift on the platform, users now encounter a message indicating that “Something went wrong. Try reloading.”
This move comes in response to the widespread dissemination of fake graphic images of the singer earlier in the week, some of which gained millions of views, causing both US officials and Swift’s fanbase to express their dissatisfaction.
Swift’s dedicated fans took proactive steps to combat the issue, flagging posts and accounts that shared the fabricated images. In a collective effort, they inundated the platform with authentic images and videos of Swift, using the rallying cry “Protect Taylor Swift.”
Responding to these incidents, X released a statement asserting their commitment to preventing the dissemination of non-consensual nudity on their platform, describing it as “strictly prohibited” and implementing a zero-tolerance policy.
The company’s teams are actively engaged in identifying and removing all instances of such content while taking appropriate actions against the accounts responsible for posting it.
Although it remains unclear when X initiated the block on searches for Swift, there is no information regarding whether similar actions have been taken against other public figures or terms in the past.
This issue has garnered attention beyond the realm of social media, reaching the White House. The administration expressed concern over the alarming spread of AI-generated photos, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on women and girls.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called for legislation to address the misuse of AI technology on social media platforms, urging platforms to enforce their own rules and combat the spread of misinformation and non-consensual, intimate imagery.
In the context of this issue, US politicians are advocating for new laws to criminalize the creation of deepfake images. Deepfakes, which leverage AI to manipulate facial features and bodies in videos, have seen a 550% increase in creation since 2019, as reported in a 2023 study.
Despite this surge, there are currently no federal laws governing the sharing or creation of deepfake images, though some states are taking steps to address the issue.
In the UK, a significant move has already been made, as the sharing of deepfake pornography was deemed illegal under the Online Safety Act in 2023.
This marks a crucial step in addressing the challenges posed by AI-generated content and an urgent need for comprehensive legislation to safeguard individuals from the malicious use of technology.