Taylor Swift fans say that that singer is experiencing "every woman's worst nightmare" after graphic AI-generated images of the star were leaked online.
On Thursday (January 25), the hashtag 'TaylorSwiftAI' started trending on X (formerly Twitter) along with fake AI-generated images depicting the 'Bad Blood' singer in a number of graphic and sexually suggestive situations.
Many of the images showed Swift in red facepaint and/or in a football stadium - a lewd nod to her relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce.
At this time, it is not known for definite who created the images.
As reported by the Daily Mail, a source close to Swift commented on the situation, stating: "Whether or not legal action will be taken is being decided, but there is one thing that is clear: these fake AI-generated images are abusive, offensive, exploitative, and done without Taylor’s consent and/or knowledge."
"The Twitter account that posted them does not exist anymore," they continued. "It is shocking that the social media platform even let them be up to begin with. These images must be removed from everywhere they exist and should not be promoted by anyone.
"Taylor’s circle of family and friends are furious, as are her fans obviously. They have the right to be, and every woman should be. The door needs to be shut on this. Legislation needs to be passed to prevent this and laws must be enacted."
Shortly after the images went viral online, Swift's fans took to X to voice their support for the star - resulting in the phrase 'protect Taylor Swift' trending on the platform.
However, as well as voicing support, many social media users have also spoke out about the misuse of AI and how the 34-year-old singer was living "every woman's worst nightmare".
"Those taylor swift AI pictures are literally every woman's worst nightmare and the fact men [think] that it's okay to do it and they laughed about it makes it even crazier," one person tweeted.
Others also voiced their concerns about the evergrowing use and evolution of AI and how it can be misused to harm others.
"Taylor Swift's AI generated pics show how dangerous AI can be," one person wrote. "This serves as a reminder for individuals, especially girls, to exercise caution when sharing personal photos on social media platforms."
Another person added: "I feel so bad for Taylor Swift and the future of all women with these AI deepfakes. This s**t is harmful and dangerous."
And many others called for change. "Those Taylor Swift images need to be classified as a form of sexual assault, I think it is time lawmakers start creating laws to regulate AI before it's too late," one person wrote.
Several states, including Texas, Minnesota, New York, Hawaii, and Georgia, have already made nonconsensual deepfake pornography illegal. Yet, incidents like these persist, as evidenced by recent cases in New Jersey and Florida high schools where deepfake images circulated, which triggered a police probe.
In response to growing concerns, US Representatives Joseph Morelle (D-NY) and Tom Kean (R-NJ) recently reintroduced a bill known as the "Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act." This proposed legislation aims to make the nonconsensual sharing of digitally altered pornographic images a federal crime.
Penalties for offenders could include jail time, fines, or both. The bill has been referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, which will determine whether to pass it into law.
In addition to criminalizing the sharing of digitally altered intimate images, Morelle and Kean's bill would empower victims to pursue civil lawsuits against offenders, offering a comprehensive approach to address the issue.
Back in October, President Biden signed an executive order aimed at regulating AI, particularly addressing concerns related to generative AI producing inappropriate content. The order also called for enhanced oversight of AI technology used in various applications, the New York Post reports.
A representative for Meta told the Daily Mail that it will be doing everything it can to prevent the images from being circulated on its platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
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