There are growing calls for laws against Deepfake technology following a porn scandal that has rocked the world of young, online Twitch influencers.
Multiple young, female Twitch stars were disgusted to discover their images on a deepfake porn website earlier this month, where they were seen to be engaging in sex acts.
They had not consented to their images being used in the footage, nor were they even aware of them.
Terrifyingly, the creator - who has not been publicly named - was able to manipulate their likeness to make it appear as though they had taken part in the filming.
The scandal came to a head last week when one of the victims, 28-year-old QTCinderella, posted a tearful video begging people to stop accessing the images.
The scandal came to a head last week when one of the victims, 28-year-old QTCinderella, posted a tearful video begging people to stop accessing the images
She has now vowed to sue the creator responsible, who has since removed the content.
The creator has not been publicly named. They are said to have scrubbed all traces of their old site from the internet after posting an apology.
The incident has sparked fears among young internet influencers and the wider public about the extent to which the advanced AI technology can be harmful.
Among those who discovered they were on the site was 32-year-old British Twitch star Sweet Anita.
I saw myself in positions I would never agree to, doing things I would never want to do. And it was quite horrifying'I literally choose to pass up millions by not going into sex work and some random cheeto-encrusted porn addict solicits my body without my consent instead.
'Don't know whether to cry, break stuff or laugh at this point,' said Sweet Anita, one of the victims.
Anita only discovered that her image had been used by watching a male Twitch star apologize tearfully for accessing it.
'I saw myself in positions I would never agree to, doing things I would never want to do. And it was quite horrifying,' she later told BuzzFeed News.
Maya Higa, whose image was also used, compared the ordeal to being raped as a teenager.
She also slammed critics for debating online whether she - or other women - had the right to be outraged. Some cruelly claimed that because they filmed themselves in other, nonexplicit scenarios, they did not have the right to privacy when it came to explicit content.
Maya Higa (left) said she felt 'nauseous' and 'vulnerable' after discovering her image on the site. British Twitch star Anita (right) was also included without her consent
'The world is debating over the validity of my experience today.
'The debate over our experience as women in this is, not shockingly, among men. None of you should care or listen to what any male streamer's take is on how we feel
'The situation makes me feel disgusting, vulnerable, nauseous, and violated.'
It's unclear if any of the victims have reported the incident to the authorities.
They will likely face an uphill legal battle if they do; the issue does not immediately fall under revenge porn law or image rights.
The women said they had been left feeling 'violated and vulnerable' after discovering their images on the site
Many are now calling for legislation to be specifically created to stop harmful use of AI or deepfake technology.
'Should be illegal to profit off of somebody’s likeness in sex work without consent wether it’s fake or not.
'Talking about it will bring those sites more attention but I hope this will also be a step forward closer to law that can help protect people from being used in this way,' said influencer Valkyrae.
According to Vice, the creator of the harmful content has removed it. 'I feel like the total piece of s**t I am,' they said in an online apology.
'The situation makes me feel disgusting, vulnerable, nauseous, and violated.'There is currently no federal legislation in the US that protects against Deepfake technology using someone's likeness without their consent.
Deepfake porn without consent is illegal in Virginia and California.
In 2019, New York Democrat Yvette Clarke proposed the DEEP FAKES Accountability Act, which would hold bad actors responsible under the law.
It's unclear what the status of that law is.
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