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‘Deepfake’ is a term that the majority of the technological world is now familiar with. By definition, it is artificial intelligence that can create videos or pictures in events that never occurred, bringing them to life in startling, and often unsettling, ways. The term was first coined by a Reddit user in 2017, who posted videos that face-swapped celebrities onto existing pornographic videos.
This disturbing origin of the term reflects the dark future deepfakes went on to have – the development of AI has meant that simple face-swapping technology has enabled the production of complex images and videos that are almost indistinguishable from real life. The consequences include fraud, spread of misinformation, harassment, and, as this article will now explore, an increase in online misogyny.
Labour’s new law proposal sets out to criminalise the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes in order to ‘crack down’ on those creating them. This means that the content does not have to be distributed in order for the offence to occur, protecting individual privacy and autonomy more effectively. This is especially significant in tackling online misogyny – in 2023, 98% of 95,820 deepfakes were pornography, and 99% of these videos portrayed women.
Some arguments have been raised against this criminalisation – namely, that sexually explicit deepfakes become an outlet for predators, preventing the physical sexual abuse and exploitation of real people. This argument ignores the societal impact that the creation of these sexually explicit deepfakes has on both the individual and society. The development of deepfakes represents ‘a power fantasy stimulus’ for perpetrators; this objectification of the female body legitimises the subordination of women and affirms the dominance of men. This violence manifests itself into rape culture within online media, attempting to justify the creation of deepfakes despite their significance in reinforcing gender oppression.
4Chan and Reddit have become prominent sites for the promotion and sharing of intimate deepfakes. The artificial intelligence subreddit, meant for discussions on the development of AI and its uses, has become frequented with posts promoting the benefit of AI girlfriends. Many users argue that these relationships are far better, as they lack the human emotions that real women have. They are unable to consent and they mindlessly agree to whatever their operator suggests, which many users argue is an improvement to their problems with real-life women. This distorts real-life, as these men blame women for their misfortunes, inclining them towards incel culture which perpetuates misogyny.
The impact of deepfakes can therefore be shown to extend far beyond the world of technology, as it actively contributes towards misogyny. The Guardian in their podcast ‘Black Box: the hunt for Clothoff’ illustrate the real-world impact of deepfakes. Their journalists attempted to discover the creators of a deepfake app that used AI to remove the clothes of the person pictured. They interviewed the mother of a teenage girl who fell victim to this – the lack of accountability from the app’s creators angered her, with authorities quick to dismiss the app’s creators as elusive and unable to be held accountable. This was quickly proved wrong, as the journalists discovered who was behind the app. Once the journalists achieved this, the man deleted any internet presence he previously had, leaving no trace or evidence to hold him accountable in the future.
The impact the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes have on those who are targeted cannot be understated. As generative AI becomes easier to access, the understanding that anyone can develop intimate images of whomever they wish becomes a frightening reality. The implementation of a law criminalising their creation would lessen this reality, making it harder for people to gain access to them and taking a step towards combatting online misogyny.
However, concerns have been raised from the End Violence Against Women Coalition, who urge Labour to set a timeline for when the offence will be implemented and to reveal details about the new law. They propose that the government should improve civil laws for victims to take action against perpetrators and tech companies. They also call to improve sex and relationship education so that it reflects these issues currently faced.
Labour’s new law proposal indicates a significant step towards tackling online misogyny. Sexually explicit deepfakes are harmful in both online and real-life spheres, disproportionately towards women and girls, and the criminalisation of them is a welcomed crack down on combatting this systemic issue.
Edited by Connie Newstead
Image: Software developer, Web developer, Programmer image, via Pixaby, 2017// CC0
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